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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "atm payment department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "huge amount of money" (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)
  • "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)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:26:57 +0200
Subject: Greetings Dear Beloved,


Greetings Dear Beloved,

This is to inform you that I have transfered your total $5,800.000.00(Five
Million Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) into an ATM master
card to curtail the risk of carrying huge amount of money arround. Now
contact Dr. Mr. Ebele M .Chinedima of ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT, Guaranty
Trust bank Benin PLC (GTrust Bank), for the issuance of your master
card.Their emailaddress is (gtrustbnkbenin_5@live.fr). You have to go ahead
and contact them for them to release your master card to you immediately.
They will deliver the card to you through their diplomat and give you more
information on how to make use of the card.

Remember therefore that you are going to pay them $120.00 for the activation
of the card before they can deliver it to you to avoid undue expiration of
the card as it is an old account; owing to the fact that it has been kept
for a long time while our government was undergoing proper investigation on
your ownership of the card.

Below are the information you have to send them for the delivery of your
card:

1. Full Name......
2. Address where you want them to send the ATM card......
3. Phone number (private)......
4. Your age and current occupation......
5. Country Name and Code......

Best Regards,
Barr.tony robert,
Clearing Attorney.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam