419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- +27743729839 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- unparceldeliveryservices13@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Jacob Kudos" <tjekky671@outlook.com>
Reply-To: <unparceldeliveryservices13@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 17:10:38 -0700
Subject: Claim your 1,200,000:00$ (One million, two hundred thousand
dollars).

After much attempts to reach you on phone, I deemed it necessary and urgent to contact you via your e-mail address and to remind you about your compensation payment Having received your Claim Application, I write to inform you that I am a delegate from the United Nations Compensation Commission and to notify you finally about your outstanding Compensation payment of 1,200,000$ (One million, two hundred thousand dollars) with identification/settlement number UN013-0156/UPS-UN-HABITAT. During our last annual calculation of your banking and Internet activities, we realized that you are eligible to receive a compensation payment of 1,200,000:00$ (One million, two hundred thousand dollars). This compensation is being made to all of you who have suffered losses/damages as a result of unemployment, accident or illness. For more information, contact United Parcel Service (UPS) agent with your Name, Resident Address and your direct Telephone Number for the delivery of your cashier check 1,200,000:00$ (One million, two hundred thousand dollars). Please contact the United Parcel Services
United Parcel Service South Africa LTDPlot 781 Pretorius StreetPretoria WestSouth AfricaTel: +27743729839Email:unparceldeliveryservices13@gmail.com
Please take note that you will pay a shipping/handling fee of $400.00 USD to UPS.
Thanks for your patience.Jacob KudosProgram ManagerUnited Nations Compensation Commission

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam