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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:

• 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:
  • "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.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +22993608179 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • westernunionoffice170@yahoo.fr
  • hill_john255@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:34:45 +0100
Subject: CONTACT THE WESTERN NUION OFFICE


Hello My Dear
How are you today?=20
I write to inform you that we have already sent you USD5,000.00 dollars t=
hrough Westernunion as we have been given the=C2=A0 mandate to transfer y=
our full compensation payment total sum of=C2=A0 USD1.500,000.00 via west=
ern union by this,governemnt. I was calling your ,telephone number to giv=
e you the information through phone but you did not pick up my calls thro=
ughout that;yesterday even this morning.Now, I=C2=A0 decided to email you=
the MTCN and=C2=A0 sender name so that you will pick upthis USD5,000.00 =
to enable us send another USD5,000.00 today as you know , we will be send=
ing you only USD5,000.00, per day.
Please pick up this information and run to western union to pick up the U=
SD5,000.00 and call me back to send you another payment today,
Hon; Anthony Williams
Western Union Department
Director General Benin Rep;,
Mobile: 00 229 98-45-12-88
OFFICE NUMBER +22993-60-81-79
E-mail: (westernunionoffice170@yahoo.fr)

call or email me once you picked upthis USD5,000.00 today.Here is the ,, =
western union information to pick up the , USD5000.00; MTCN # :=C2=A0 622=
155 4897Sender'
sName:..........PRINCE AJAA,
Text Question:............HONEST
Answer......................TRUST
Amount:....................USD 5,000.00

I am,waiting for yourcall once you pick up=C2=A0 this USD5,000..00, Pleas=
e email me your , direct telephone number because I need ,to be calling y=
ou once we send any payment for the informations.
Contact me with my private email;hill_john255@yahoo.com
Expecting your reply,=20
Thanks

Hill John

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam