419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (YYYY-MM)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "certificate fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "demurrage " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "security keeping fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "are expected to pay " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
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.
- dhldeliveryworld01@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: DHL DELIVERY WORLD <info@regularmail.org>
Reply-To: DHL DELIVERY WORLD <dhldeliveryworld01@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2017 08:49:08 -0700
Subject: CONTACT DELIVERY WORLD FOR YOUR INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED BANK
DRAFT.

GOOD DAY TO YOU,

I Just received a call from Mr. Randy Buday the Director Of DHL Company West Africa, regarding a Bank Draft inheritance check of $10.5 Million USD you are still having there in their custody. The check has been kept there for couple of months now due to you been unable to meet up with the necessary information and requirement needed for it to proceed for its delivery.

Don't you forget that this Bank Draft was the one awarded to you by Mr. Glenn Thomas, my late husband who died in a Malaysian airline MH17 on March 8th,2014. clicking this page will surely explain better { http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28360827 }.

Now, they (THE DHL DELIVERY WORLD) need a confirmation of the below information for the delivery process to start;

Your Postal / delivery address:

Your Full Names:

Direct telephone number:

Mind you, you should never pay for the delivery Charges, the Insurance premium and the Clearance Certificate fee of the Check because I already have paid for them. The only fee which you are expected to pay is $280.00 USD for the storage & security keeping fee of the check as it has been with them for several months now. I would have settled the fee, but the company insisted that I shouldn't because they don't know when you will be contacting them so as to avoid demurrage or further cost.

Here is the storage & security keeping code: (DHL/0433/SKC) of your Bank Draft. You are expected to tender this code alongside the $280 storage & security keeping fee for verification before your delivery.

In order to recover your Bank Draft, kindly contact ENG. RICHARD STEPHEN of the DHL DELIVERY WORLD to assist you with the recovery of your Check and its immediate delivery to your residence. His information proceeds below;

Dhl Address: DHL DELIVERY WORLD, Nigeria Ltd, DHL House ABUZE ABUJA.
Contact Person: Eng. Richard Stephen
Contact E-mail: dhldeliveryworld01@gmail.com

He will be waiting to receive your quick response. Mind you, the earlier the better cause the Draft will surely be awarded to someone else if they didn't get to hear from you in the next 48hours.

Best Regards
Mrs. Jane Norman.

Anti-fraud resources:

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