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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (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. )
  • "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)
• 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.
  • zainab_bello_th@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Zainab Bello" <zainab_bello_th@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2008 02:47:20 +0700
Subject: Business enquiry

From: Mrs. Zainab Bello E-mail: zainab_bello_th@yahoo.com Dear friend, I am Mrs. Zainab Mudira Bello an Iraqi National based in Baghdad. I am contacting you due to the situation here in Iraq. I'm finding it very difficult to cope with the situation, no stable government, and bomb explosions at strategic places every now and then, and sometimes people find it very difficult to go about their normal businesses due to fear of being victim of terrorist attack, honestly my life was in jeopardy before I flew to Thailand with my son. Above all, the crisis in Iraq now has made business activities totally paralyzed for quite sometime now. Please, why I need your assistance is that I have US $12.5 million Dollars in my custody. I inherited the money from my late Husband, who was a major general in Iraqi army in charge of purchase and maintenance in the immediate past regime. I have been able to move out the money from the Finance Security Company where my late husband deposited this fund, to a security company here in Bangkok Thailand for Security reasons. However, I deposited the box in bond as a family treasure, without letting them know the contents is money. My intention is to invest the money in stock market or real estate in a good country with a capable person as my business associate, so I'm contacting you to know if you are interested to handle this business venture with me. I will give you 1. 20% of the money for you as reward. 2. 5% for expenses on hotel, flight tickets and any other. 3. While, 75% shall be mine {for investment}. Remember, this is a sensitive business, therefore do not discuss it with a third party. I'm waiting for your favorable reply. Best regards. Mrs. Zainab Bello

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam