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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "cotonou" (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.
  • +22993431546 (Benin, probably a 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.
  • richarduzomma@accountant.com

Fraud email example:

From: "vincent ugoh" <vincent_ugoh@gala.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 17:10:04 +0200
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL


* FROM THE OFFICE OF DR. VINCENT UGOH *
* ACC. GENERAL,MIN OF WORKS AND HUOSING
COTONOU, REPUBLIC OF BENIN
PHONE+229 93 43 15 46
EMAIL vincentugoh@msn.com***<EMAIL..richarduzomma@accountant.com>
* *
**
*DEAR FRIEND,
*
**
*I AM THE CHEIF ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING AND BY
VIRTURE A DIRECTOR IN THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING,URBAN AND RURAL
DEVELOPEMENT COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN, I GOT YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS FROM AN
ASSOCIATE WORKING WITH THE COUNTRY'S EXPORT PROMOTION COUNCIL AND I DECIDED
TO PROPOSE TO YOU THIS BUSINESS IN STRICT CONFIDENCE.

PURPOSE: ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE MINISTERIAL OFFICIALS
AND THE OTHER OFFICERS INCHARGE OF OFF-SHORE REMITTANCE IN THIS
CORPORATION. FOR THE TRANSFER OF TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLAR ($10M) TO
YOUR ACCOUNT FOR FURTHER PRIVATE INVESTMENT PURPOSE, HENCE OUR REQUEST FOR
YOUR ASSISTANCE.*
**
*SOURCE OF FUND: THIS AMOUNT TO BE TRANSFERED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT ACCRUED
FROM OVER INVOICED OF CONTRACT AMOUT FOR THECONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING
ESTATE IN PORTO NOVO (NORTHERN REGION) IN 2006 TO AN EXPERTRIATE COMPANY,
THE CONTRACT WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY VALUED FOR ONE HUNDRED MILLION U.S.
DOLLARS WAS OVER INVOICED TO READ ONE HUNDRED AND TEN MILLION DOLLARS.
($110.M)*
**
*THE EXTRA $10 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS IS WHAT WE WANT TO TRANSFER TO YOUR
ACCOUNT. THIS CONTRACT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY EXECUTED AND THE CONTRACTORS HAVE
BEEN PAID ALL THEIR CONTRACT BILLS REMAINING TEN MILLION U.S.DOLLARS. *

*WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU DURING YOUR REPLY IS : *
**
*1..YOUR NAME AND CONTACT ADDRESS,
2..YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBER,
3.. THE NAME OF YOUR BANK, AND YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE
TRANSFERED TO.
4..SEX AND AGE/ OCCUPATION.*
**
*DISBURSEMENT : WE HAVE RESOLVED THAT YOU TAKE 30% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR
YOUR ASSISTANCE BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO CLAIM THE CONTRACT
OVER-INVOICED MONEY HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC WIHOUT YOUR ASSISTANCE .*
**
*IN ADDITION, 10% HAS BEEN MAPPED OUT FOR ANY MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES
INCURRED BY BOTH PARTIES DURING THIS BUSINESS, AND 60% IS FOR MY
COLLEAGUES AND MYSELF.*
**
*SECURITY: ALL MODALITIES TO EFFECT THE PAYMENT AND SUBSQUENT TRANSFER OF
THIS MONEY HAS BEEN WORKED OUT, SO THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK
FREE. THOUGH, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TREAT THIS BUSINESS WITH THE STRICTEST
CONFIDENCE.*
**
* I AWAIT YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE THROUGH THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS*
*vincentugoh@msn.com** *
**
*WITH BEST REGARDS,
DR. VINCENT UGOH*
**
*

*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam