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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "ChikePeter1"<chike_peter1@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2002 05:03:15 +0100
Subject: ****SPAM(19.3)**** HAVE YOUR COMPENSACTION


Spam detection software, running on the system "portal.bk-werne.de", has
identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message
has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or label
similar future email. If you have any questions, see
postmaster for details.

Content preview: Dear friend, This is to inform you about my success in getting
the money moved under the co-operation of a new partner from London. Presently,
I'm in saudi arabia for the purpose of investing my own share of the money.Meanwhile
I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts in assisting me to move the
fund evendo we were not successful. Now contact my account officer in Benin-Republic
on the underlisted contact immediately: [...]

Content analysis details: (19.3 points, 4.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
-1.4 ALL_TRUSTED Passed through trusted hosts only via SMTP
3.0 DATE_IN_PAST_96_XX Date: is 96 hours or more before Received: date
2.3 SUBJ_ALL_CAPS Subject is all capitals
2.6 DEAR_FRIEND BODY: Dear Friend? That's not very dear!
2.3 US_DOLLARS_3 BODY: Mentions millions of $ ($NN,NNN,NNN.NN)
2.8 XMAILER_MIMEOLE_OL_1ECD5 XMAILER_MIMEOLE_OL_1ECD5
0.8 MSOE_MID_WRONG_CASE MSOE_MID_WRONG_CASE
2.6 ADVANCE_FEE_2 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)
4.2 FORGED_MUA_OUTLOOK Forged mail pretending to be from MS Outlook

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam