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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "to your nominated bank account" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22997017443 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "ROSSY BROWN" <rossybrown3@ig.com.br>
Reply-To: bb_rossy17@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 09:15:45 +0100
Subject: My Dear,


My Dear,
I am MS ROSSY BROWN, The bill and exchange manager in AfricanDevelopment
Bank, Cotonou, Benin Republic in West Africa.
I am writingin respect of a foreign customer of our Bank (Mr Jang Seajoon)
whoperished along with his next of kin with Korean Air Line,flight number801
with the whole passengers on 6th of august 1997 and for yourperusal you can
view thissite:
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/06/guam.passenger.list
Since thedemise of this our customer, I personally have watched withkeen
interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as noone has
come to claim his funds of US$35M (Thirty five million UnitedStates Dollars)
The reason for a foreigner in the business is for thefact that the deceased
man was a foreigner and it is not authorized bythe law guiding our Bank for
a citizen of this country to make theclaim of the fund.So the request for
you as a foreigner to come intothe business is necessary,it will facilitate
the release and transferof the funds smoothly to your nominated bank account
as the onlysurviving relation/partner to the deceased.
If you can convenientlyassure me of your ability to keep this business very
secret andconfidential, you can write back to me giving me your
telephone/faxnumbers
Waiting for your urgent response and please kindly delete if you are not
interested.
TELEPHONE: 00229 97 017443 Regards,
Ms ROSSYBROWN

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam