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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• 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.

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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "huge amount 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)
  • ",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)
  • "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • becobk@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ben smith" <bensmith13@telegraf.by>
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:22:17 +0200
Subject: FROM MR BEN SMITH


ATTENTIION;THE PRESDENT


DEAR SIR/MADAM,

I AM OBLIGED TO WRITE YOU REGARDING A PENDING BUSINESS TRANSACTION
INVOLVING A
HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
KINDLY PERMIT ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU AND ALSO THE NATURE OF THE
BUSINESS. MY NAME IS MR BEN SMITH , I AM THE DIRECTOR OF INVESTMENT AND
COMMODITY BANKING AT THE ECOBANK,COTONOU REPUBILC OF BENIN , WEST
AFRICA. ONE OF OUR ESTEEMED CUSTOMER WHO HAPPEN TO BE A CITIZEN OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICAN LOST HIS LIFE IN A PLANE CRASH OVER EIGHT YEARS
AGO ,HIS NAME IS MR MORRIS THOMPSON , HE WAS THE CEO OF DOYON INCORPORATED
LOCATED IN FAIRBANKS ALASKA UNITED STATE OF AMERICAN.
HE WAS ABOARD THE ILLFATED PLANE CRASH INVOLVING THE ALASKA AIRLINE IN
FEBRUARY 2000,HIS BANK DEPOSIT WITH US HAVE BEEN DORMANT FOR SEVERALYERAS
WITHOUT ANY PERSON COMING UP TO CLAIM HIS DEPOSIT,DURING OUR LAST
AUDITING,I AND MY COLLEAGUES DECIDED TO MOVE THE FUND OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
THE LATE MR THOMPSON DEPOSITED US$25MILLION IN AN INTEREST YIELDING
ACCOUNT AT THE RATE OF 10% PER YEAR, THEREFORE,AFTER DUE CALCULATION HE
HAS ACCOUT BALANCE OF US$53,549,457.50 CENT, AFTER DEDUCTION OF BANKING
CHARGES AND TAXES FROM THE PRINCIPAL DEPOSIT , HE HAS US51,500,000,(FIFTY
ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND U S DOLLAR ONLY)

WHICH IS RIPE AND READY TO BE TRANSFERED TO A FOREIGN BANK. SINCE THE
DECEASED HAS NO TRACE OF HIS FAMILY OR NEXT OF KING THAT WILL COME UP TO
CLAIM THE US51,500,000
MENTIONED ABOVE , I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU . FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ON
PHONE OR EMAIL, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED TO CARRY ON THIS TRANSACTION . SHOULD
YOU NEED MORE INFORMATON .KINDLY ASK FOR MORE ELABORATION.THANK YOU.REPLY
TO THIS EMAIL.(becobk@yahoo.fr). MY TELEPHONE NUMBER IS 0022997726544.
BEST REGARDS


MR BEN SMITH

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam