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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
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• 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.
  • jameswilliams00656@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: James Williams <jameswilliams00656@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: james_williams1@sify.com
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:59:15 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Please kindly permit me.


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: jameswilliams00656@yahoo.com



- Hello DearPlease kindly permit me to introduce myself and this business deal opportunity to do with you. My name is Mr James Williams, a bank manager.I wish to know if we can work together. I would like you to stand as the foreigner who made a huge deposits in my bank.The transfer would be made via swift and it will be a Bank-to-Bank wired transfer.All I need from you is to stand claim asthe original depositor of this fund. I will compute your particulars as the person who made the deposit in my branch, so that my head office will immediately order the transfer to your designated bank Account.Please indicate If you are interested or not so that I can give you details on what we are to do, I urgently hope to hear from you as soonest.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam