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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • pau.nath@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "nath paul" <paulnath@nsk.biz>
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 15:01:49 -0700
Subject: Confiding in you, for mutual benefits.


From the desk of Paul Nath.
Eco bank of Africa,
Rue du Gouverneur Bayol Cotonou
Swift: ecocbjj
Telex: 539 ecobnk
Contact me with this my private
email: - pau.nath@hotmail.com


Dear Friend,

I am the bank manager of Eco bank of Africa, Coutonu

Benin Republic. I will like to do a very brief business

with you, there is a dormant account in my bank, with a

credit balance of (usd$7.430.000.00) seven million,

four hundred and thirty thousand united state dollars

which has been dormant for about five years now, on my

further investigation, I discovered that the owner of

this account, a foreigner {Mr. Charles Washington} who

died five years ago in a motor accident.

What i need from you is to use your name as the

beneficiary and next of kin to the original account

owner. And then use my position as the manager and give

clearance for onward remission of this fund into your

designated bank account. I will supply you with all the

necessary information about the account, which you will

present to the bank through a lawyer.

After the bank has accepted your application, then I

will move ahead to destroy every document associated

with this business. and we will go ahead to share his

fund at ratio 30 and 65 percent, 30% for your services,

and 65% for me, the remaining 5% will be set aside for

any expenses incurred during this transaction.

Please your urgent reply is needed so as to stop

further contacts. This is for people who know the value

of banking system, kindly include your full name,

contact address, private telephone and fax numbers.

Thanks,
Best regards,
Paul Nath.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam