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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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• 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.

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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:
  • "escrow account with no beneficiary" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• 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.
  • savimbiben0@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Ben Savimbi <savimbiben0@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: savimbiben@live.com
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:04:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT - PLEASE REPLY


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: savimbiben0@yahoo.com

URGENT - PLEASE REPLY

- Hi Dear,My name is Ben Savimbi. I work with the Standard Chartered Bank Here in Accra, Ghana as office assistant to the operations Director of the bank.As a clerk in the bank my position is very low but I have access to a lot of secret because I handle the bank's most sensitive files. During my course of duty recently, I discovered $6.5million dollars in our bank escrow account with no beneficiary.The bank has lost record of its owner since the fire out brake of 2004 which destroyed a lot of the bank's database. I can give you the detail information of the account and my bank contact so you can contact them and tell them you are the owner of the money so they should transfer it to your country's account.My bank will believe you because Your proof is your ability to know the account details and my bank will transfer without questioning. After you get the money, we will share equal. For more details, please respond to my email as soon as possible.Regards.Ben Savimbi

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam