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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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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• 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)
  • "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: ono me <o_nome13@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <fkh16@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 12:41:26 +0000
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT



GOODDAY ,
YOU ARE RECOMMENDED TO ME AS A HONEST PERSON. I AM FRED KOUMAH, I AM A TOGOLESE BY CITIZEN, I WAS THE FORMER DRIVER TO LATE PRESIDENT GNASSINGBE EYADEMA OF TOGO, WHO DIED SOME TIME AGO. WE ARE BOTH FAMILY MEMBERS. BEFORE HIS DEATH HE CALLED ME SECRETLY AND TOLD ME HE WANTS TO DEPOSIT SOME MONEY WITH MY NAME, THAT IF ONLY I CAN KEEP IT SECRET. WE BOTH LOADED THIS MONEY IN 2 STRONG BOXES TO THE TUNE OF $ 50 MILLION US DOLLARS. HE DIRECTED ME TO ACCRA-GHANA TO DEPOSIT THIS FUND WITH VALUE POINT FINANCIAL SERVICE, FOR SAFE KEEPING WITH MY NAME.
I DECLARED IT AS FAMILY TREASURE. NOW THEY HAVE BEEN CLEARED FROM THE SECURITY HOUSE TO KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ACCRA-GHANA READY FOR SHIPMENT. ALL THE DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THE TRANSACTION ARE IN MY POSITION WHICH I WILL FORWARD TO YOU UPON YOUR FAVORABLE RESPOND. AT HIS POINT OF DEATH, HE CALLED ME THAT I SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE MONEY FOR MYSELF, THAT I MUST TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF AFRICA FOR INVESTMENT.
PRESENTLY, I AM IN ACCRA-GHANA, I WANT YOU TO RECEIVE THIS FUND AS THE BENEFITIARY BEFORE MY ARRIVAL. I WILL OFFER YOU 40% FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. KINDLY SEND ME YOUR CELL NUMBER AND ADDRESS AND CALL ME ON MY DIRECT LINE; +233 24 3549211 AS SOON AS YOU RECIEVE THIS MAIL FOR FORMULISATION TALK.
I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,MR. FRED KOUMAH.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam