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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
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• 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.

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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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348084547292 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • assistshamim2@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: bill b <donationaid14@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <rotexdemion@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2007 12:14:33 -0800
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL



Attn Sir/Madam: Compliment of the season. I contacted you because I was told by a man that you are a very nice and honest person. My name is Shamim Alavi Jr. I am from Ivory coast in west Africa, I am 22years old and My father was a Citizen of Pakistan but got married to my mother who is a citizen of Ivory Coast but as a result of this my both parents were killed by the Christians during the Muslim and the Christian war because we are Muslim so after the death of my parents the Christian wanted to come for my life so I ran to Nigeria with my late father Consignment Box of money to Safe my life but now i am not safe with the Box of money in the refugee camp so I took the box to the Nigerian International Airport and let the director of the Airport know that this Box belong to my late father Business partner in oversea and that I want to send this box to him. So I contacted you because I want this transaction to be very confidential and secret because of the big money involved $10million us dollars and the money is in a metallic truck box, right now the box is with the Diplomatic Courier Service in the Nigerian International Airport. This money belong to my late father, I have all the documents, please I want you to help me so that the box cloud be delivered to you without any problem as my late father partner because I told them at the Airport that this box belong to my late father foreign partner and the box contain family precious item. If you can help me to receive this Box from the delivery officer, I will give you $2 million u.s dollar from the $10million u.s dollars, when you get the box. Please don't tell any body about this business, please keep it very secret for me and you alone. If the agent ask you, tell him that it is Gold that is inside the box that you need non-inspection delivery, after you receive the box, I will give you the security code to open it, so that you can take money and send me some money >from the box to come and meet you to enable you invest the money for me. Please I need your home or office address and your international passport so that I can know you in person and at the attachment there are copy of my international passport for you to identify me and the picture of the box of money and the document covering the box, but when you get back to me I will give you the contact of the agent in the International Airport in Lagos for you to Contact him as my late father foreign partner and also he will tell you how to deliver the box to you in Country.Please, I am waiting for your reply
Shamim AlaviEmail:assistshamim2@yahoo.com+234 808 454 7292
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam