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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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 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)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • dr_lucadien202@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "FRED ANA" <fred_ana026@ig.com.br>
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 18:15:50 +0200
Subject: Good Day,


Good Day,

I am Dr.Luc Adien, personal Assistant to the Branch Manager, Union Trust
Bank COTONOU-BENIN REPUBLIC. I want to inquire from you if you can handle
a transaction of mutual benefits for both of us.The transaction is about
seeking your consent to present you as the next of kin/ beneficiary of
7.5Million dollars belonging to a deceased customer of the Bank where i
work.

The bank gave me assignment to look for any relatives of this deceased
customer but after rigorous enquiry/search even through their high
commission,non of his relatives could be traced.This has shown that he
resided completed in Benin Republic his entire family and also died in plan
crash with his entire family

As his former account office,i have decided to contact you to enable us
corporate and pull out this money to your foreign bank account for
investment.I have all the required information from his file jacket and will
be ready to provide it to aid and facilitate the claim. I will give you more
details about the transaction when I receive your response.Thanks

My contact address dr_lucadien202@yahoo.fr

Dr.Luc Adien
Assistant Branch Manager, Union Trust Bank
Cotonou Benin Republic.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam