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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "required fee " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +22996130412 (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.
  • frankobumu@ubbi.com

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:33:30 -0800 (PST)
Subject: VERY URGENT


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:edolombe5@yahoo.com.co



- ATTN: Beneficiary The Board of Federal Ministry Of Finance Benin Republic are hereby notify you of your payment inheritance of $1.8 Million only after the meeting held on 28th of Febuary 2008. His Excellency the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN has Instructed this Department to send your funds through Western Union Money Transfer and Money gram respectively for easier receiving of your inherited funds without any further delay so to avoid paying money to the fraudsters that is going on through the internet. To effect this payment to you therefore, you are required to send your name and address where you want your fund to be sent through Western Union and the maximium amount you will be receiving each day starting from the very day you submitted your info is the sum of $14000.00. $7000.00 from western union $7000.00 from money gram. Also, your are required to send to us the sum of US$297 dollar only immedaitely for renewing and re-confirming of your file that was deposited in this office with your name and address bellow Your Receiver's Name:---------- Address-------------------------------- Tel phone----------------------------- CONTACT MR Frank Obumu Hubert with this informations below: CONTACT Barr Frank Obumu Hubert TEL: +229 96-13-04-12. EMAIL: frankobumu@ubbi.com As soon the required fee of $298 is send today for the renewing and reconfirming the payment file of your funds, you will start receiving your funds immediately. So send the $298 dollar through western union with the name and address below: Receiver's Name: ----------JOSEPH OBALIM Address: City--------------------COTONOU Country: -------------------BENIN REPUBLIC Test Question---------------HONEST Test Answer-----------------TRUST Amount to send: ------------$298.00 We await to receive the western union payment informations today. Please if you are not the real beneficiary, don't respond and delete. Yours faithfully in service Mr Edward Olombe Financial Minister. Federal Republic of Benin

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam