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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "million 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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +2348024243179 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: bmbmartins90@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:30:04 +0100
Subject: FOR YOUR ATTENTION.


*FROM THE DESK OF MR FRED WAKAMA
10 AWOLOWO ROAD, IKOYI, LAGOS NIGERIA.
TEL: 234-802-424-3179.*

*My Dear Friend,*


*I am an Account Officer ,My name is Fred Wakama,a Banker. I am the personal
Account Manager to a,National of your country, who used to work with an Oil
servicing Firm in Nigeria. Here in after shall be referred to as my client
On April 21, 2002 my client, was involved in a car accident All occupants of
the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives.Since then I have made several
inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my client's extended Relatives,
this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful
attempts, I decided to trace his last name over the Internet, to locate any
member of his family hence I contacted you. *

*I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left
behind by my client before they Get confiscated or declared unserviceable by
the bank where this huge deposits were lodged, particularly . Where the
deceased had an account Valued at about (Ten million us dollars) has Issued
me a notice to provide the next of kin Or have the account confiscated
within the next ten official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in
locating the relatives for over 3 years now. *

*I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so
that this account valued at (Ten million us dollars) can be paid to you .
The sharing modality is till open and negociatable. An attorney will be
contracted to help revalidate and notarize all the necessary legal documents
that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require is your
honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this
will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from
any breach of the law. Please get in touch with me bymy email. *

*Regards
Fred Wakama*

* *

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam