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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.

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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:
  • "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 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.
  • +22997476111 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • universalbanquebenin@ubbi.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "David Hirr" <davidhirr38@ig.com.br>
Reply-To: francois.gbaguidi@voila.fr
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:42:36 +0200
Subject: Correspondence


Complement of the Day
I have been waiting for you to contact me for your Confirmable draft of
$950,000 (Nine hundred and fifty thousand United States dollars) kept for
you for charity. Due to my medical appointment in Isreal for traetment of my
terminal illness, I asked the bank to cash the equivelent of the draft and
keep it in a special trustee vault pending your contacting them for transfer
to your local bank account where you will have access to the funds.

Contact the paying bank with the information below;
Mr. Francois Dossou
Director, Foreign Remmitance Dept.
Universal Banque du Benin
Carre 182 Avenue Des Troi Banque
Cotonou –Republic Du Benin
Phone +229) 97476111
Fax +2293-902280
Email: universalbanquebenin@ubbi.com

Contact the bank immediately for the transfer of the funds and confirm the
following information;
YOUR FULL NAME AND POSTAL ADDRESS:
YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER:
YOUR OCCUPATION:
YOUR AGE AND SEX

Pray for my quick recovery and do not forget the work of charity by which
you are favoured.
Yours
Rev. David Hirr

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam