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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:
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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:
  • "please indicate your interest" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "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 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.
  • johneze_20000@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "JOHN ZIK" <johnzik02@ig.com.br>
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 11:57:24 +0100
Subject: Attention my good Friend Dear


Attention my good Friend Dear

I honestly apologize and hope I do not cause you much embarrassment by
contacting you through this means for a transaction of this magnitude.
I discovered a dormant account in my office, as the director of operation,
File and Account Section of FIB(Financial Bank Benin) Cotonou, Benin
Republic. It will be in my interest to transfer this fund worth( $27,000,000
million dollars (United States Dollars) in any of your account offshore.

If you can be a collaborator to this, please indicate your interest
immediately for us to proceed for the claim and transfer of the fund into
your account. Remember this is absolutely confidential. My colluegues does
not know about this deal and my family will be in shambles if it burst out
and i will also be in trouble as well as losing my precious job if it
happens to leak out, so I advice you to keep this transaction between both
of us.I will detail you on how we will go aheead to achive this goal in
receipt of your possitive reply to me

Yours Faithfully,
Dr JOHN EZE ZIK
+00229 -97-6718-77

N.B. Please indicate your personal telephone and fax numbers, for easy
communication in this mutual transaction. This letter is confidential and
may also be privileged. It is intended for use by you alone. If you are not
interested, I request that you notify me immediately and delete this e-mail
without copying, forwarding, disclosing or using it in any other way that
might be considered fraudulent.
Now contact johneze_20000@yahoo.fr
With best regards,

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam