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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +2348062136084 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "michael james" <james300@tulsaemail.com>
Reply-To: michael_james200@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:29:41 -0700
Subject: me as soon as you receive this mail on my direct telephone number


*From the mail I wrote to you, you may be wondering why should such a mail
come to you. I am sorry for any inconveniences this may cause you but I
believe that is how it has been destined by nature that we should meet. By
reading my mail, I know you will understand that I am a banker, head of
operations.


Listen I would like to explain to you very confidential matter concerning
the consignment I have cargo out through the diplomats without your
information. Yes I am working with the bank where I have put in thirty six
years of service, that means I am among those that started the bank, now the
bank has started growing the new approved board of directors all turned
against me to retire me just because I came from the minority in my country.


Now there is some money in my possession which is twelve Million five
houndred thousand United States Dollars ($12,500,000.00) which I packaged
in a box kept in my house, yes the money belongs to the bank but I do not
want to disclose this money to the bank because of what they are trying to
do to me. I kept it in my house planning how to take it outside the country
to start a new life with my family.


Surprisingly, the board of directors brought in an auditor without my
knowledge, now they have finished with their auditing discovering that a
huge sum of money was missing which part of it is this that I cargo out.


The information that reached me on Sunday by a friend of mine that works in
the same bank with me, told me that the bank is trying to bring officials to
my house to conduct searching immediately I carried the box to the diplomat
office because I have a friend there but I did not disclose what was in the
box. There the box was weighed and the weight was 120kg,I was able to pay
half of the charge, which is $75,000.00 that was in my possession. The cargo
has left Nigeria shores to London.


Now I want you to send to me:


1. Your full name.

2.Your address, and the nearest airport.

3.Your mobile telephone number and fax number.


This is to enable me forward the in formations to the diplomat to deliver
the cargo to your house, then when I am through with the officials here by
then you would have retrieved the cargo from the diplomats.Please I believe
in you and my whole life depends on this
money.

Thanks for your understanding.

Best regards,

Dr MICHAEL JAMES.
Direct tele: 234 -806-2136084
*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam