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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • greg_martins01@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "greg_martins" <greg_martins@terra.com.mx>
Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2006 04:07:44 -0600
Subject: NEXT OK KIN


NEXT OK KIN

Dear friend,

Grant me the indulgence of contacting you in this respect. I am Mr.
GREG MARTINS ESQ., a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa.

I am writing to solicit your cooperation with a view to using you to
apply and claim Insurance compensation due to my Client Mr.Willy Michael who died intestate in a road mishap in 2004.

All efforts to trace the Next of Kin to My client has proved abortive,
hence my recourse to you before the claim becomes statute Barred (limitation of action Law) The amount of compensation is $7,200.000.00(Seven million Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).

This money has already been released and deposited in a bank/finance
house pending when the next of kin will emerge. So once you declare your interest, I will then go ahead to tell you all the necessary things required to conclude this transaction smoothly without any problem.

It might interest you to know that all the title documents that will
facilitate the easy claim of this money is with me.

If you are willing to partner with me, kindly get back to me by just
sending your private telephone/fax numbers to enable me open communication with you.

Please do contact me through my private e-mail:
greg_martins01@hotmail.com

Yours Faithfully.
Mr. GREG MARTINS ESQ
greg_martins01@hotmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam