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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • ",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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: richard green <richardss12@msn.com>
Reply-To: <richards_green@live.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:30:37 +0000
Subject: COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON!



FROM THE DESK OF DR.RICHARDS GREEN
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER
ZENITH BANK PLC.
NIGERIA.

COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON!

I AM DR.RICHARDS GREEN,THE BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER IN THE ZENITH BANK,NIGERIA IN WEST AFRICA. WITH DUE RESPECT AND REGARDS,I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US AT THE END OF THE TRANSACTION.IN THE BANK HERE I DISCOVERED A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON, A FOREIGNER WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY SOME YEARS BACK HERE AND THE FUND HAS BEEN DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THE BANK HERE,WITHOUT ANYBODY TO CLAIM THE FUND EITHER A MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY OR HIS RELATIVE.
I KEPT THIS INFORMATION SECRET WITHIN MYSELF TO ENABLE THE WHOLE PLAN AND IDEA I HAVE BEEN NURSING OVER THIS FUND IN THE BANK HERE TO BE PROFITABLE AND SUCCESSFUL DURING THE TIME OF EXECUTION OF THIS TRANSACTION.THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IN THIS DEAL IS TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS($10,000,000).MEANWHILE,ALL THE WHOLE ARRANGEMENTS AND STRATEGIES NEEDED TO HELP YOU PUT CLAIM OVER THIS FUND AS THE BONA-FIDE NEXT OF KIN OR BENEFICIARY TO THE DECEASED, WILL BE FORWARD TO YOU UPON YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO EXECUTE THIS BUSINESS WITH ME.I WILL SEND YOU ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP YOU MAKE SUCCESSFUL CLAIM OF THIS FUND AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST ME AND ALSO SHARE THE GREAT BENEFIT TOGETHER WITH ME.

IN FACT,I COULD HAVE DONE THIS DEAL ALONE BUT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION HERE AS A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY AND AS A CIVIL SERVANT(BANK WORKER), WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO OPERATE A FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT.THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY RAISE AN EYE BROW ON MY SIDE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER IF I WANT TO CLAIM THE FUND MYSELF ALONE BECAUSE I WORK IN THIS BANK.THIS IS THE ACTUAL REASON WHY IT WILL REQUIRE A FOREIGNER AS A SECOND PARTY,WHO WILL FORWARD CLAIMS AS THE NEXT OF KIN WITH AFFIDAVIT OF TRUST OF OATH TO THE BANK AND ALSO PRESENT A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHERE THE SAID AMOUNT OF MONEY ($10,MILLION UNTED STATE DOLLARS) WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO AFTER DUE VERIFICATIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS IN THE BANK HERE.
I WILL NOT FAIL TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE, ON SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 35% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION, WHILE 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO TAKE CARE OF EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFERRING THE FUND WHICH WILL INCLUDE,TELEPHONE BILLS, INTERNET COST,TRANSPORTATION COST, ETC, WHILE 60% WILL BE FOR ME AS THE INITIATOR OF THE DEAL.PLEASE YOU HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION VERY CONFIDENTIAL A TOP SECRET AS I AM STILL IN SERVICE AND INTEND TO RETIRE HONORABLY FROM SERVICE AFTER WE MIGHT HAVE CONCLUDED THIS DEAL WITH EXCELLENT SUCCESS.

I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THE BANK UNTIL YOU CONFIRM THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND ASK ME AND MY ENTIRE FAMILY TO COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGES WHICH I HAVE CLEARLY INDICATED AND FURTHER INVESTMENT,EITHER IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY YOU MAY ADVICE US TO JOINTLY INVEST.
ALL OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU.
PLEASE I SUGGEST THAT YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,STATING YOUR INTEREST CLEARLY ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.

THANKS AND BEST REGARDS.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR.RICHARDS GREEN.
TO PROCEED I WILL NEED YOUR FULL PARTICULARS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Full Name:______________
Address:______________
Occupation:______________
Country:______________
Telephone:______________
Sex:______________
Age:______________

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam