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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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• 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:
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "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)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +22997727255 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: godsondick@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 13:29:04 +0100
Subject: Attention Recipient.


Attention Recipient.

We have been mandated to transfer your won fund or via courier serviceas by
board of trustees as one of the final recipients of there 10 years
anniversary Grant/Donation cash aid of USD$700,000.00(Seven Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) as charity donations/aid from the Grameen
Foundation.) deposited with us by the Grameen Foundation 50 F Street NW ,
8th Floor Washington , DC 20001 USA.

You are to send to us your banking coordinates or your full contact
detials for the delivery

More below is our banking procedure.

(1) we need an authorization letter from you to enable our bank anthony to
sigh all legal documents on your behalf as you are not here present.

To enbel us proceed on the transfer of your fund, we need the below
informations from you and also make the authorization letter available for
the transfer to be carried out sussesfully to your bank account or via
courier serviceas.

Name:...........
Sex:..............
Occupation:...........
Country:.................
Phone:...................
Age...................

We wait to hear from you soonest

Yours Faithfully
MR.GODSON DICK
DIRECTOR OF FROREIGN REMITTANCES.
ECOWAS UNION BANK
PHONE: +229-97727255

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam