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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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "TONY KEN" <tonyken_1@msn.com>
Reply-To: tonykenmr1@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 11:48:29 +0000
Subject: PLEASE REPLY ME FAST.

DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS MR.TONY KEN, I WORK WITH THE ISLAND BANK OF NIGERIA PLC AS A
GROUP HEAD TREASURY DEPARTMENT/ACCOUNTANT.IN THE DISCHARGE OF MY DUTY, I
STUMBLED ON THIS DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT THAT HAS REMAINED DORMANT FOR THREE
YEARS NOW WITH EIGHT MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS
($8.5M)IN IT.

ON PERSONAL INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVEREDTHAT THE ACCOUNT HOLDER DIED IN
AIRCRASH ACCIDENT WITH THE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY WHO SHOULD BE THE NEXT OF
KIN TO THE AMOUNT.SINCE MONDAY JULY,2000,13:22 GMT 14:22 UK IN PLANE CRASH I
AM WRITING YOU SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO REMIT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY
INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE NEXT OF KIN HENCE THE DEPOSITOR HAPPENED TO BE A
FOREIGNER.

IT IS SIMPLE PROCESS WHICH WILL TAKE A SHORT WHILE TO PROCESS.OUTSIDE
THIS,THE BANK MANAGEMENT WILL CONFISCATE THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AS UNCLEARED
EFFECTS AND SEND BACK TO THE NIGERIAN DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACCOUNT.
IF I HEAR FROM YOU, I WILL TELL YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MONEY AND
THE OPERATIONAL METHOD WE CAN USE TO EFFECT THE REMITANCE INTO YOUR ACCOUNT
FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT. NOTE THAT MY PURPOSE OF CONTACTING YOU IS BECAUSE
THE DECEASED HAS THE SAME NAME WITH YOU.

IN REGARDS TO THIS TRANSACTION, IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ASSIST ME. ALL I
REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST CO-OPERATION TO ENABLE US SEE THIS DEAL THROUGH. I
GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL
PROTECT YOU AND I FROM ANY BREACH OF LAW.

LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR SWIFT REPLY, FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, I WILL BE
GREATEFUL IF YOU DISCLOSE YOUR PRIVATE/ CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE AND FAX
NUMBERS IN YOUR REPLY.

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME BY MY PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS TO ENABLE US
DISCUSS FURTHER.

BEST REGARDS,

MR. TONY KEN.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam