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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:
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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)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
• 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.
  • mr_john_okoko@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: mr_john_okoko@hotmail.fr
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 23:43:51 -0800 (PST)
Subject: PLEASE URGENT NEEDED:


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:frankcool44@yahoo.com.co



- Dear Friend,I did not forgot your past effort by trying to help me, now I want to tell you that i have suceeded in getting those funds transferred under the Contact my secretary in Cotonou De federal Republic of Benin because I have left the whole instruction to him on your behalf and instruct him where to send the sum of ($1.5.000.00 US DOLLAR) with out any further delay for your compensation.His name is Mr John Okoko Email:mr_john_okoko@hotmail.fr NB:NOTE :BELLOW IS THE REQUIRED INFORMATIONS YOU WILL SEND TO MY SECRETARY:- (1) YOUR FULL NAMES:................ (2) YOUR HOUSE ADDRESS:............ (3) YOUR DIRECT CELPHONE NUMBER AND HOUSE PHONE WITH FAX IF ANY:............. (4) YOUR ID EITHER INTERNATIONAL PAS-PORT OR DRIVING LINCES:.......... . Regards DR Frank Cool:

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam