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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "huge deposit" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • pedro_jones1974@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "Pedro Jones" <amtjones1974@msn.com>
Reply-To: pedro_jones1974@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 11:06:46 +0000
Subject: I NEED YOUR TRUST.

DEAR SIR/MADAM,


I AM BARRISTER PEDRO JONES,A SOLICITOR AT LAW. I AM THE PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO
ENGR ANTHONY LEWIS, A NATIONAL OF YOUR COUNTRY, WHO USED TO WORK WITH
BRITISH PETROLEUM (BP)

HEREIN AFTER SHALL BE REFERRED TO AS MY CLIENT. ON APRIL 1999,MY CLIENT, HIS
WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN A PLANE CRASH OF ETHIOPIAN AIRLINE
IN COTE D IVOIRE. ALL ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFTDIED. SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE
SEVERAL ENQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENTS EXTENDED
RELATIVES THIS HAS ALSO PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL
ATTEMPTS, TO LOCATE A MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY HENCE I CONTACTED YOU. I AM
CONTACTING YOU TO ASSIST IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT BEHIND
BY MY CLIENT BEFORE THEY GET CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE TO THE
BANK HERE THIS HUGE DEPOSIT WERE LODGED.


PARTICULARLY, THE FINANCE COMPANY WHERE THE DECEASED HAD AN ACCOUNT VALUED
AT (USD12.7 MILLION DOLLARS) HAS ISSUED ME A NOTICE TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF
KIN OR HAVE THE ACCOUNT CONFISCATED WITHIN THE NEXT FOURTEEN 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 THE PROCEEDS OF THIS ACCOUNT VALUED AT (USD12.7
MILLIONDOLLARS) CAN BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN YOU AND I CAN SHARE THE MONEY.
65% TO ME AND 30% TO YOU,AND 5% FOR ANY EXPENSE THAT MAY INCURE IN THE
PROCESS OF THIS TRANSACTION. I HAVE ALL NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT CAN
BE USED TO BACK UP OUR CLAIMS.

ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST COOPERATION TO ENABLE US SEEING 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 BY MY EMAIL AND SEND TO ME YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS TO
ENABLE US DISCUSS FURTHER ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION. IF YOUR ARE INTERESTED
KINDLY REPLY VIA THIS EMAIL: pedro_jones1974@yahoo.fr

LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.
YOURS SINCERELY,
BARRISTER PEDRO JONES.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam