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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
• 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.
  • abbeybank-uk@katamail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "I.M.F LONDON"<info@imf.org>
Reply-To: <abbeybank-uk@katamail.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Jul 2009 10:30:40 +0100
Subject: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION..

Attention We wish to notify you that the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has finally instructed for the release of your overdue payment which has been in our custody for verification. This payment has been under Scrutiny for a while now, we investigated and found that there was a possible money laundering activity in play due to involvement of unlicensed individuals, and suspicious corrupt officials who have been in possession of this fund transfer earlier after we have noticed criminal activities of extortion. We have instructed our corresponding bank here in London England, Abbey Bank plc, for further credit to pay you your Inheritance/Contract interest fund worth USD8.3M. You are advised to contact the bank with your full information to enable them process your fund transfer accordingly without further delay or protocol. But you must be advised that Abbey Bank plc, might have their own obligation for transfer which you are strictly advised to follow their instructions as we have cleared them for good performance, good banking and law-abiding records. The following underlisted informations are to be forwarded to the bank: 1. Your full names...2.Your address...3.Your direct telephone number...4.Your form of identification...5.Your occupation and age. Upon the receipt of your response, the paying bank, Abbey Bank plc will proceed for immediate payment of your fund as soon as they receive the required information for proper confirmation of your payment. Please kindly contact the Abbey bank plc which is the paying bank through this E-MAIL: abbeybank-uk@katamail.com Yours truly, Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn IMF Managing Director

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam