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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:
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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:
  • "million 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)
• 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.
  • steve_john_16@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "steve John" <stevej@terra.com.mx>
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 20:40:31 -0600
Subject: Pls read this message (From Steve John


Hello,

This message may come to you as surprise since it is coming from someone you don't know or ever seen before, I am Steve John, twenty (20) years old, please i want to use this opporturnity to explain myself to you, life has been much miserable to me due to the death of my mother and my father on motor accident which made me an orphan, i am the only son, my father has two (2) companies and my mother has one (1) company but the federal Government have seized all the properties due to my age. My father before his death he has a deposited of $4.5Million US Dollars in the security company in european country, but due to the bad leaders we have in this country,
if the money is being returned to me it will be seized by the federal Government becuase of my age.

My message to you is how to help me claim this money since the security company where this money was deposited has advise me to relocate the funds before the bad people will know about it, and i will be more than happy if you can assist in claiming this money so that i can finish my education since the federal Government have seized all our properties because of my age.I'm pleading with you please to help me claim this money so that i can finish my enducation.

If you are willing to help me claim this money, send your mobile telephone number and your full name with your address, i will send you the deposit receipt to enable you contact the security company for the claim.

Pls reply me on this: E-mail: steve_john_16@yahoo.com

I am waiting for your reply
Thanks and God bless.
Steve John.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam