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:
- "million 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)
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Richard Bruno <luka77marcelli@alice.it>
Reply-To: eric_deliveringagent@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 12 May 2014 02:22:56 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Delivery Notification for your package of {$3.5 million usd}, CALL
DELIVERING AGENT NOW{682 227 2784}

Message Body

LAST NOTIFICATION FROM DHL DELIVERING COMPANY

Last chance for you, regarding these delivering , am happy to inform you
that we have finally succeeded in converting your compensation to a cash
delivering, regarding the delivering of your own compensation, provide your
information for the agent to complete the delivery of your own package
{CONSIGNMENT} in our custody,it contains $3.5 million dollars being your own
compensation, Youâ€™ re to provide to the agent, your full Name,Address, Near by
Airport and cell phone number, is our agreement with compensation officer, who
deposit the fund in our custody, to be delivered to you and Noted That you have
to provide the information correctly for the smooth delivery of your package to
you, Your DHL deliveryman is coming be very nice to him as he is not from
America citizen ok

(1)Full Name=============
(2)Mobile Phone Number======
(3)Current Home Address==== ====
(5)Country====================
(6)City======================
(7)Nearest Airport ==============

AGENT CONTACT INFO

AGENT NAME: Eric Toha
MOBILE CONTACT: 682 227 2784
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eric.toha.1

NOTE: Email or call him now, ask him what is going on now,he has arrived in U.
S.A about two days ago, he called me and said he lost your information, so
provide to him your details again,Your DHL deliveryman is coming try and be
very nice to him as he is not from America citizen and he know no one except
you, so please take care of him
OK

Regard
Richard Bruno
DIRECTOR DHL COMPANY
MY DIRECT LINE:+229 6886 3142

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam