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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:
  • ",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)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • +447045722662 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • rivate@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:00:06 +0000
Subject: From: Mike Ellis



From: Mike EllisGroup Finance Director,Treasury & Insight.HBOS United Kingd=
om.(+44) 70457-22662 Good day, I am Mr. Mike Ellis, the Group Finance Direc=
tor, Treasury & Insight HBOS United Kingdom. I personally discovered a dorm=
ant account with a total sum of $75,000,000.00 [SEVENTY FIVE MILLION UNITED=
STATE DOLLARS] during our Bank's Annual Year Account Auditing. The owner o=
f this dormant account died on 4th Jan 2002. Since the death of the decease=
d, nobody has operated in this account till date. Moreover, this account ha=
s NO BENEFICIARY attached to it. Definitely, this fund will be confiscated =
by our BANKING CODE OF ETHICS if it remains dormant for a period of [7] yea=
rs without any claims. In this regard, I earnestly need your full cooperati=
on in transferring this dormant fund out of our bank to avoid confiscating =
this fund. I will split the transfer into two 2 stages for easy and smooth =
transfer. First, I will transfer $5,000,000.00 to any valid foreign account=
you will nominate, upon a successful transfer without any disappointment f=
rom your side; I will then fly to meet you in your home destination for sha=
ring, thereafter we jointly transfer the remaining balance of $70,000,000.0=
0 for great investments. If you are willing to cooperate in this project, C=
all me now (+44) 7045-722662 for more details. PRIVATE E-MAIL: m2008ellisp=
rivate@yahoo.com Yours truly,Mike EllisMobile: (+44) 7045-722662=20

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam