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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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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (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. )
  • "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. )
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +22993164397 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MICHEEL YAYI" <micheel_yayi53@ig.com.br>
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:28:08 +0100
Subject: YOUR $850.000.00USD IS NOW READY FOR DELIVERY


*Good Day My Dear,

I have received your email together with all the required information
required for the delivery of your cheque to your designated address.Well i m
Mr.Micheel Yayi from benin republic; secretary to Mr.Mazi Olinna. Quite ok i
have being waiting for you to contact me as directed by my boss before he
travelled to japan for a business trip with his new business partner in
person of Dr.Roy Harris.The eight hundred and fifty thousand united states
dollars ( $850.000.00 USD ) is in certified bank draft which i have packaged
as a birthday gift going directly to your destination.

So be informed that i have gone to the Trust Link Courier Service Company
and has regiterred your package with them for delivery with the sum of
$48.00usd. Note that the diplomat who is going to deliver the package to
you, does not know the content of the package.And be informed that the
courier service compaany need your urgent response because they are going to
send the shipment AIR WAY BILL and the TRACKING NUMBER of your package to
you immediately they receive the delivery fee of $182.00usd from you.

Now this is what you have to do,you should go ahead and send the $182.00USD
which is the delivery fee of the courier service company so that your
package could get to your residence latest by monday.You can call me on my
private phone if there is any question:+229-9316-4397, you can as well
contact me on my private email: **micheelyayi@live.com*<micheelyayi@live.com>
* .So you are been advised to go and send the money through western union
money transfer or money gram immediately you receive this email as to avoid
any further delays in deliverying of your bank draft to your posstal
address. Send the money with the information bellow:

Name: AKPUTALI JOSEPH
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY: COTONOU
AMOUNT: $182.00USD
MTCN: ......................
TEXT QUESTION: WHO IS GREAT
ANSWER: GOD

Do not forget to email back to me the evidence of payment information for
easy pick and quick delivery of your cheque with out further delays.You
should also reconfirm to me your postal address once again as to avoid wrong
delivery and also your phone number for easy communications.

Remain Blessed My Dear.*

*
Regards
Mr.Micheel Yayi*

**

**

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam