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:
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
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.
- +22998227496 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: MS Ruth <officefls20@gmail.com>
Reply-To: MS Ruth <dhl-customer-service@universitarios.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2015 18:44:17 +0900 (JST)
Subject: =?utf-8?B?R29vZCBuZXdzLiB3ZSBoYXZlIGJlZW4gcmVsZWFzZSB5b3VyIGRlbGl2ZXJ5?=
=?utf-8?B?LuKAjyA=?=

Attention My Dear ivery.

I'm Just received a call from Director Of DHL COURIER Company from Benin that your compensation funds which the bank help to upload your payment into cash ATM CARD to avoid it expires returned back due to wrong address provided, and I paid for the delivery and the delivery haves 3day to expire why the ATM Card has less one year to expire and when he expires, the money will go into Government investment.

so you have to contact DHL Company with your Full Contact information so that they will deliver your package to your designated address without any further delay I register it with African cloth the valued of $1.830 million, was convicted Into ATM Card to avid your fund expire, They need your full information for the delivery to your address you have to reconfirm address to DHL FOREIGN DELIVERY SECTION with your current address and phone number receiver name to them. to avoid the delivery fee expire because I will not be reached till June 20th, 2016. Your PIN code of the ATM CARD is in the parcel do not dispose the information to them only that is your family treasure.

Call Mr.Frank Larry.+229 9822 7496

Secondly,the only money you are to pay fee which is $75 for the delivery to be approval payment certification from the government of Benin,and you are giving a limited time to send the payment and please be advise that you are to send the payment to dhl office and you are to contact the FOREIGN DELIVERY SECTION thy ill advice you where you will send the payment and when you receivery your Â DELIVERY SECTION.

Mrs. Ruth Harper

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam