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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
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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:

• 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
  • "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Ahmed Govou <mrahmedgov4@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:33:38 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Confirm your compensation!!


From The Desk Of Mr Ahmed Govou.
The Honourable Minister of
Finance, Federal Republic of Benin.
DIRECTOR SCAMMED VICTIM.

BENEFICIARIES.REF/PAYMENTS CODE:06654 $5,000,000

UNITED NATIONS SCAM VICTIMS COMPENSATIONS PAYMENTS.

Dear Friend,

On the faithful recommendations, we want you to know that during the last U.N. meetings held at cotonou, Benin Rep, it was alarmed so much by the world in the meeting on the loss of Funds by various individuals to the Benin scam artists operating in syndicates all over the world today.

In other to compensate victims, the U.N Body in conjunction with the Benin Government is now paying 150 victims in this operation, $5,000,000 each in accordance with the U.N. recommendations. Due to the corrupt and inefficient Banking Systems in BENIN REP, the payments are to be supervised by the United Nations' Officials and the Minister of Finance of Benin Republic , the corresponding paying bank will be disclosed to you upon your response to this letter for security reasons. This is to bring to your notice that I am delegated from the United Nations to pay 150 scam victims $5,000,000(FIVE MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLAR) each.

You are listed and approved for this payment as one of the scammed victims to be paid this amount. Therefore do not hesitate to respond to this massage for the immediate payment of your $5,000,000.00 compensations Funds.

According to the number of applicants at hand, 87 Beneficiaries has been paid, half of the victims are from the United States, and we still have more 14 left to be paid the compensations of $5,000,000each. Your particulars was mentioned by one of the Syndicates who was arrested as one of their victims of the operations, you are hereby warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to anybody for any reason whatsoever as the U.S. secret service is already on trace of the other criminals. So keep it secret till they are all apprehended.

You will receive your compensation payments via any of this payment options of your choice, KTT Wire Transfer, Certified Bank Draft or ATM Electronic Visa Card.

Yours faithfully,
Dr James Hakeem.
Public Relation Officer
Ministry of Finance.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam