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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: maryrenss@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:46:29 +0400
Subject: Can I Trust =?UTF-8?Q?YOu=3F?=




DEAR FRIEND,

I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW
ME .I AM
SENATOR, JOHN, EWAH ENOH, I AM THE CHAIRMAN SENATE COMITTE FOR
FINANCE HERE IN
NIGERIA.

I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR A HONEST PERSON THROUGH ONE OF
MY
COLLEAGUES HERE IN NIGERIA.

I WANT YOU TO HELP ME TO CLAIM THE FUND THAT I MOVED TO EUROPE
THROUGH OUR CBN ACCREDITED COURIER AGENT BUT THE CONTENTS OF THE
PACKAGE THAT CONTAIN THE
$25,000,000.00 WAS NOT KNOWN TO OUR AGENT THE FUND HAS BEEN
SUCCESSFULLY
DEPOSITED WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUSION IN EUROPE.

YOU DON’T NEED TO MAKE ANY EXPENSES FOR THIS FUND TO BE
TRANSFERRED TO YOUR
NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT.

ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS GIVE ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESS
YOUR
PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX AND I HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU
WILL HAVE 30%
AND 70% WILL BE FOR ME. MY IDENTITY MUST NOT BE REVEALED TO ANY
BODY.

FOR SECURITY REASONS OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS
YOU GET
BACK
TO ME.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

SEN.JOHN E, ENOH.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam