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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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• 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.

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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • sa_ce123@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: troy smith <troysm_aud9@msn.com>
Reply-To: <troyzion4400@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:31:33 +0000
Subject: Strictly Confidential



Read Carefully Respond Urgently Dear Friend,I am Dr Troy Smith a head of auditing and accounting of Imperial bank of Africa. I am contacting for your assistance on this business with full financial benefit for both of us As a next of kin.
In my department I discovered an abandoned sum of US$13.5M, ( Thirteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars). The request of foreigner as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner.Contact me immediately via ; (sa_ce123@yahoo.com)Best Regards,Dr. Troy Smith

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam