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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united state dollars" (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)
  • "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" 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.
  • +22993437411 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • bsonwilliams@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "johnanderson_2 Gazeta.pl" <johnanderson_2@gazeta.pl>
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 14:20:07 +0200
Subject: Dear friend,


Dear friend,


I am very happy to inform you about my success in getting that fund
transfered now; I want you to contact my secretary on the information below
for your compensation which i kept for you for your past effort even taught
that you could not see me to the end of geting my fund transfer but i
appreciate your effort:


NAME; Mr.Benson Willis
Telephone Number: +22993437411.
EMAIL: bsonwilliams@hotmail.fr


Ask him to send you the total sum of ($3.5 Million United State Dollars)
Three million Five hundred thousand United State Dollars in a bank draft,
which I kept for your compensation.So feel free to contact him with your
informations below: avoid
wrong delivery,


Full Name:
Home Address:
Occupation:
Cell Phone/Home Phone.
Country:
Age:


Please contact him with this information above for the registion of the bank
draft.Thanks for your help and I will stop here again. You let me know
immediately you receive it. I am waiting for the good news from you.


Regards,
Pro.John Anderson.


Pro.John Anderson. Contact My Secretary For your compensation.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam