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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
  • "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)
  • "contract review panel" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • ahmedxz@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "Ahmed Abdalla" <ahmed_002351@msn.com>
Reply-To: ahmedxz@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2006 11:32:42 +0000
Subject: From Ahmed Abdalla

From Ahmed Abdalla

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Ahmed Abdalla, Director and Board
Member,TransparencyInternational ,Kenya. I got your email address from the
webdirectory so I decided to contact you.

We are interested in diverting some funds currently floating in thesuspense
account of the federal pay office to your account as soonas possible.

Source of the funds are:

During the Arap Moi's government, government’s officials awardedcontracts to
their own companies, these contracts were grossly overinvoiced. Now the
present government set up contract review panel tosettle those owed
outstanding amount. My colleagues and I haveidentified a huge amount
totaling US$ 370m (Three hundred andseventy million us dollars) oversea.

We would want US$43.8m (Forty three million Eight Hundred Thousand)dollars
out this money oversea transferred to your account becausewe are not
eligible to operate foreign account, and I have beenmandated to search for a
partner abroad. We really want thistransfer made as soon as possible before
the government, who havestarted refunding money from Moi's foreign accounts
track thismoney.We will be offering 20% for your assistance.

If you would want to proceed with this transaction please reply withyour
name and phone number to(ahmedxz@netscape.net ) and if youdo not accept my
offer please treat with utmost confidentiality.

For more information check and browse carefully all the links in the website
below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3324369.stm

Best Regards,

Ahmed Abdalla,

Director & Board Member, Transparency International,

Kenya.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam