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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +2348087439424 (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.
  • churchanderson34@yahoo.co.in (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: FACT-FINDING & SPECIAL DUTIES OFFICE <churchanderson34@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 04:52:39 -0600
Subject: CALL ME ASAP


THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION
In Conjunction with the International Monetary Fund
WORLD BANK FACT-FINDING & SPECIAL DUTIES OFFICE
LAGOS, NIGERIA.
TEL : + 2348087439424
Email: churchanderson34@yahoo.co.in

Dear Sir/Madam.

I am Rev. Father Churchill Anderson, a senior staff with the World Bank fact finding & special duties office. I am writing you this letter because cool penny is better than millions of dollars. It is better for one to live and die poor honest man than a rich dishonest one.I and the chief security officer (CSO) of this organization have arranged with an officer in computer section engineer Peter Cliff to bring out part of your total pending payment sum amounting to US$10 million.Why we did this is because according to information gathered from the bank’s/security computer, you have been waiting for a long time to receive your money without success. As I found out that you have almost met all the statutory requirements in respect of your pending payment, your problem is that of interest groups. A lot of people are interested in your payment and those people are merely doing paper works with you and that explains why you receive fax and phone messages from different people everyday. Also we found out that some of the officials of the parastatals have been extorting a lot of money from you with the pretext of helping you receive your money. I can assure you that this may last for years yet nothing happens if you do not do away with those officers that you call your partners. And for security reasons do not tell anybody that you have your money until you receive cash at your doorstep.

Investigation reaching us made it known that the final transfer of your fund have been suspended due to the ability of you not to be able to produce some essential document and fund needed for the transfer.We have decided to look for a away to assist you in getting this transaction completed.We have concluded that you must donate Five Hundred Thousand United States dollars (US$500,000.00) to any charity organization I designate as soon as you receive your money. To this effect, you will send us a promissory note for Five Hundred Thousand United States dollars (US$500,000.00) along with your address and some personal information to help in preparing and handling all necessary procedure.

Please its important that you must own any of the account type below to be able to access the fund :


(1) EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT ACCOUNT
(2) HOME EQUITY LINE OF ACCOUNT
(3) REGION BANK ACCOUNT (WITH AN ATM CARD)
(4) CREDIT CARD PAYMENT OPTION

Please maintain topmost secrecy as it may cause a lot of problems if found out that we are using this way to help you. Do not ever tell anybody about this until you have your money. I want to help you because something in me is telling me that you are an honest person.When you conclude this and you send our promise, we will help to ship the final part of your money to you.

Note that you must re-confirm the following information to me of Probate for final authentication and approval of your Contract fund.

(1)Your full name :
(2)Phone, fax and mobile # :
(3) Company’s name, position and address :
(4) Profession, age and marital status:
(5) Copy of int'l passport or any scanned identity to prove you :


God be with us as we wait for your reply on email address: churchanderson34@yahoo.co.in

Please do not fail to call me asap .

Yours faithfully,
Rev. Father Churchill Anderson .

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam