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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
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:

• 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:
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "million 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)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • chris_madu101@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "chris madu" <chrismadu104@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 19:53:04 +0100
Subject: PLEASE TREAT AS URGENT.


Hello Anticipated Partner,

I am Mr. Chris Madu, i work with a bank here in Abuja(NIGERIA),and i
stumbled on an account that has been dormant for sometime now and from
my investigations the owner of the account is my late client, who bears
thesame last name with you, kindly do help me in getting these money out of
the bank here,he died along with his entire family in a plane crash On the
10st of January 2007.

I am contacting you to assist me in repatriating the money left behind
by this late client, who bears the same last name with you, do help
me before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where
this huge deposit were lodged which is where i work.

My employers, where the deceased had an account valued at about $3.5
million dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or
have the account confiscated within the next fourteen official working
days.Based on this development i need you to come forward and stand in
as the beneficairy, so that the proceeds of this account valued at $3.5
million dollars can be release to you and then you and i can share the
money. 60% to me and 40% to you.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal
through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please
get in touch with me by my private

private email: chris_madu101@yahoo.com

Regards

Chris Madu.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam