419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand us 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "mrsvictoria.brown@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- +22997537426 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs Victoria Brown <mrsvictoriabrownben@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrsvictoria.brown@live.com
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2014 10:30:35 +0100
Subject: Attention: Distinguished Beneficiary,Your MasterCard Debit Card is
Ready in Our Payment Centre.

Attention: Distinguished Beneficiary,

This is to let you know that we received a payment credit instruction
from the Federal Government of Benin Republic to complete your payment
via ATM Master Card with your full inheritance fund of Usd$2,500,000
million from the Benin Foreign reserve account with our bank.This is
to officially inform you that (ATM Card/ DEBIT Card Number of
(4020771010081010) has been credited in your favor, Your Personal
Identification Number is 9200. The Card Value is ($2.5M USD) and your
ATM CARD will be send to you through DHL delivering company.

This email is to all the people that have been scammed in passed and
Bank of Benin Republic with the World Bank officials have agreed to
compensate you with the sum of Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand US
Dollars for the victim. This includes every foreign contractor that
may have not received his or her contract sum and people that have had
an unfinished transaction, people who have inheritance to claim or
international businesses that failed due to instability of
governments.

You are advised $5,000.00 USD is permitted to withdrawal twice per
day and are duly Inter Switch so you can make withdrawal at any ATM
locate Center of your choice around the world.

You are advice to contact me back on my email so that I will forward
all the details information for delivering of your card; all the legal
documents are out and will be send to you once I hear from you.

With the following information;

Full Name: ------------------
Phone Number: ------------
Country: ----------------------
Occupation: ------------------
Sex: --------------------------
Age: ---------------------------

Your ATM CARD will be send through DHL delivering company, so get back
to me with your full information's before it will be late.

Thanks

Mrs.Victoria Brown
phone no:+229 97537426
email: mrsvictoria.brown@live.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam