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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:
  • "transfer of your funds" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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 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.
  • +2348065785617 (Nigeria, 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.
  • etra.zenith@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:10:21 +0100
Subject:



ATTN: Sir/Madam,
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family?,You may not understand why this mail came to you.
We have been having a meeting for the passed 7 months which ended 2 days ago with the former secretary to the UNITED NATIONS .
This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, THE UNITED NATIONS have agreed to compensate them with the sum of $ 1,000,000.00USD This includes every foriegn contractors that may have not received their contract sum, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government problems etc.
We found your name in our list and that is why we are contacting you,and the funds have been deposited with the ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC.
You are advised to contact Mr Jim Ovia of ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC, as he is our representative in Nigeria , contact him for your immediate transfer of your funds into your bank account or you go there to claim your prize your self $ 1,000,000.00USD.
(Therefore, you should send him the below informations.)
1.full Name :
2.Telephone number:
3.:Sex:
4.Country:
(Contact the Bank Transfer Department)
Mr Jim Ovia
Email:etra.zenith@gmail.com
Tell:+2348065785617
Making the world a better place.
Regards,
Mr. Kofi Anan
Former Secretary ( UNITED NATIONS ).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam