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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +2348063288531 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?Micheal=20Bello?= <michealbello30@yahoo.com.co>
Reply-To: michealbello@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 12:50:40 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Urgent Attn


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:michealbello30@yahoo.com.co



- MR.MICHEAL BELLO, ECO BANK NIG. PLC. LAGOS NIGERIA. Tel: +234 8063288531. Dear Friend, I came to know you through my search for a reliable,transparent and trustworthy person or partner to assist me execute a vital private and confidential business transaction as stated below, therefore I am very glad I have found you. I am Mr.Micheal Bello, the personal Accountant to Mr.Christian Eich, a foreigner and investor with Eco Bank of Nigeria in west Africa. Mr.Christian Eich his wife and their two Children were involved in plan crash on 31st July 2000. Mr.Christian Eich and his entire family all lost their lives. You can confirm the genuiness of the deceased death by clicking on this web site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm. Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of Eich's extended relatives. This has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet,to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by Mr.Eich before they get confiscated, frozen or declared unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged. Particularly, Eco Bank of Nigeria Plc where the deceased had an account valued at about Ten Million Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$10.7,000,000:00).I hope you understand exactly what I am saying. The management has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account frozen and I know that they will surely not rest until they finally froze his deposit.I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now and this is not good. I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account valued at $10.7,000,000:00 can be paid to you and then you and i can share the money. 50% to me and 50% to you. I have all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make in your favour.This I must achieve to make sure that this fund is not wasted or end up in the wrong hands I hope you understand me very well. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law, this I promise. Please indicte your interest and enclose your telephone and fax numbers both office and residence. Awaiting your urgent response. Regards, Mr. Micheal Bello.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam