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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • cmdouglas_esq@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: chri_mcdouglas@zipmail.com.br
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 19:35:42 -0700
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?PHILANTHROPIC=20GESTURE?=

FROM THE DESK OF
CHRIS McDOUGLAS & CO LAW FIRM,
20 WEDRAL ROAD,
OWERRI,
IMO STATE, NIGERIA.

ATTENTION,

Your name and e-mail address came up in a random draw conducted by our law
firm,CHRIS McDOUGLAS{Law Chamber in Imo State. Nigeria. My name is CHRIS
McDOUGLAS ESQ. A personal attorney to our late client Mr. James Harrison
who use to worked for an oil firm in Nigeria. Mr. James Harrison a well
known Philanthropist, before he died, he made a Will stating that $4.2M
(four million and two hundred thousand us dollars) should be donated to
any Philanthropist of our choice overseas. We have made a random draw that
your name and e-mail address was picked as the beneficiary to this Will.


I am particularly interested in securing this money from the Bank, because
they have issued a notice instructing us to produce the beneficiary of this
Will within two weeks or else the money will be credited to the Government
treasury as per law here.


It is my utmost desire to execute the Will of our late client. You are required
to contact me immediately to start the process of sending this money to
any of your designated official account.

I urge you to contact me immediately for further details bearing in mind
that the Bank has
given us a date limit. Please act fast; please contact me on my private
email address cmdouglas_esq@yahoo.co.uk


CHRIS McDOUGLAS ESQ.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam