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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "economic and financial crime commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
• 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.
  • gefccinvestigationcommitteee@yahoo.com.hk

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: efccinvestigationdept@uk2.net
Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:20:49 -0800 (PST)
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE


§Ú¦³·sªº¹q¶l¦a§}¡I§A²{¥i¹q¶lµ¹§Ú¡Gefccinvestigationcommitteee@yahoo.com.hk



- TODAY INVESTIGATION ON YOUR PAYMENT FILE AND REASON FOR DELAYING YOUR OWN PAYMENT APPROVED TODAY, PLEASE ARE YOU SILL ALIVE ? DID YOU SIGN ANY DEED ASSIGNMENT IN FAVOUR OF THIS(JOHN WHEELER) TO RECIEVE YOUR FUNDS .DO REPLY IMMEDIATELY FOR CONFIRMATION AND RECIEVE YOUR FINAL APPROVED FUNDS WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:1.FULL NAMES,2.HOME ADDRESS,3.OFFICE ADDRESS AND 3.PHONE NUMBER. BEST REGARDS. MRS. FARIDA V.M WAZIRI:(Chairman) Economic And Financial Crime Commission(E.F.C.C INVESTIGATION BUREAU)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam