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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
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "keep this confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a "Yukos oil" scam. The criminals who send such emails have no connection to Yukos Oil. The emails are usually sent from Nigeria. The only money that ever changes hands in this scam is from you to the criminals.
• 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.
  • zhi_ming0147@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Tracy Cunningham" <tcunningham@abelsontaylor.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 04:49:59 -0500
Subject: Re:

Dear Friend,

I am Larisa Sosnitskaya and I represent Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky the former C.E.O of Yukos Oil Company in Russia. I have a very sensitive and confidential brief from this top (oligarch) to ask for your partnership in re-profiling funds in the amount of USD46 Million (Forty six million United States Dollars).

I will give you the details after I have received your response signifying your interest in this project. In summary, the funds are still in the security deposit of a reputable bank in europe. Also, I will instruct you on how you would open a bank account in europe to transfer the total amount as requested by my boss(Mikhail Khodorkovsky).

This is a legitimate transaction. You will be paid 20% as your commisson/compensation for your active efforts and contribution to the success of this transaction.

You can watch more on CNN or BBC to get more news about my boss and i will provide you with various websites for you to catch more stories:

If you are interested, please do indicate by providing me with your full names, secure email address, confidential telephone number, fax number and I will provide further details and instructions.

Please keep this confidential as we cannot afford more political problems.

Kindly send me your response as soon as possible to my secure email address: zhi_ming0147@hotmail.com

I look forward to it.

Kindest Regards,
Larisa Sosnitskaya

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam