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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:

• 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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",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)
  • "can i trust you?" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • edward22mr@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <edward21mr@yahoo.it>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:08:55 +0000
Subject: BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY



Greetings to you my friend.I know this will come to you as a surprise because you do not know me.I am Mr.Edward Donald, I work in the frist Bank of Nigeria (FBN),packaging and Securilty department. I got your contact in my search fora honest person and some one I could trust. Can I trust you?
I want you to help me clear this package that is already in Europewhich I shipped through our frist Bank of Nigeria (FBN) accreditedSecurilty agent but the contents of the package is $25,000,000.00 all in$100.00 bills, but the Securilty company does not know that it is moneythat I have in the package all I want you to do for me now is to give meyour mailing address, your private phone and fax, and I hope that at theend of the day, you will have 30% and 70% will be for me . My identitymust not be revealed to anybody.
If this arrangement is okay by you, you can call or e-mail me for securityreasons ( edward22mr@gmail.com ) other modalities will be discussed as soon asyou get back to me.Best regards to your family,Edward Donald

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam