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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
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united state 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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Amadou Traore <amadou_traore00@msn.com>
Reply-To: <amadou.traore2@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 18:54:57 +0000
Subject: PLEASE AM WAITING FOR YOUR RESPOND.




FROM MR.AMADOU TRAORE
THE AUDITING MANAGER BANK OF AFRICAOUAGADOUGOU- BURKINA FASO Dear Friend, I am the auditing manager of BANK OF AFRICA (BOA) Ouagadougou,BURKINA FASO,WEST AFRICA.I am contacting you based on Trust and confidentiality that you will keep this as top secret and don't be scared or surprised, i am the auditing manager of BANK OF AFRICA and i have an opportunity to transfer the sumof US$10.5MILLION (TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) I have the courage to look for a reliable and Honest Person who will be capable for this important business Transaction, believing that you will never let me down either now or in Future.The owner of this account is MR RON MORRIS, a foreigner and he is the Manager Of petrol chemical service, a chemical engineer by Proffession. He died with his entire family, they were among the victims of December 26, 2003 Air-Crash Incident in Benin Republic.Since then, The bank has made series of efforts to contact any of the relatives to claim this fund but without success, you can confirm through this website: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/ My Investigation as the bank auditing manager proved to me as well that his company does not know anything About this account. I want to transfer this fund into a safe foreign account abroad and I know that this message will come to you as a surprise as we don't know ourselves before,but be sure that it is real And A Genuine business. Hope that you will never let me down in this transaction.

At the conclusion of this business,you will be giving 40% of the total amount, 50% will be for me and 10% for any expenses the may accured during the transaction. I looking forward to your earliest reply for more details. Thanks.Best regards,
Amadou Traore

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam