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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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• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "sammie kwame" <samm_kw016@telegraf.by>
Reply-To: dr.samm_kw00@ymail.com
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 13:04:45 +0100
Subject: TRANSFERRING OF ($9.5) MILLION INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.


FROM THE DESK OF DR. SAMMIE KWAME
DEAR FRIEND,

I KNOW THAT THIS MESSAGE MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE. I AM DR. SAMMIE
KWAME A BANKER DEPT OF FOREIGN REMITTANCE DIRECTOR BOA BANK HERE IN
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO ».

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL NOT BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THAT I AM ABOUT TO
REPOSE ON YOU FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF OUR BOTH FAMILIES.

I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF ($9.5) MILLION TO
YOUR ACCOUNT WITHIN 14 BANKING DAYS. THIS MONEY HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR YEARS
IN OUR BANK WITHOUT CLAIM. I WANT THE BANK TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS
THE NEAREST PERSON TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER, THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT DIED
ALONG WITH HIS INTIRE FAMILY IN AIR CRASH SINCE JULY 31ST 2000.
I DON'T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK TREASURER AS AN ABANDONED FUND.

SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY I CONTACTED YOU SO THAT THE BANK CAN RELEASE THE
MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER.
PLEASE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL AS A MOST CONFIDENTIAL AND
DELETE IT IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED.
UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL GIVE YOU FULL DETAILS ON HOW THE BUSINESS
WILL BE EXECUTED AND ALSO NOTE THAT YOU WILL HAVE 45% OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED
SUM IF YOU AGREE TO HANDLE THIS BUSINESS WITH ME.

BEST REGARD.
DR. SAMMIE KWAME

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam