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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:
  • "transfer into your account" (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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Wisdom Dozie" <dozie_3@msn.com>
Reply-To: dozie1@jmail.co.za
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:04:53 +0000
Subject: HELLO

Dear Friend,

I am pleased to send my greeting to you, i got your email via world on-line
in e-mail data on my search for a reliable individual who will assist me in
this business transaction. My name is Mr.Wisdom Dozie , I am personal
assistance to late Dr. Franklin who died on 12th March 2000 in an auto
crash along Badagry Express Way Lagos Nigeria . Untill death , he worked
with Shell Inssurance Company in Nigeria. My late boss deposited the sum of
USD$9million in a bank before his untilmely death and the Bank have
approved me to provide the next of kin to my late boss so that the fund
will be paid to him/her, i have done this for years and all my efforts in
locating any of his relation prooved abortive.

I contacted you to be presented as the next of kin to my late boss so that
the fund will be transfered into your account as the next of kin to Late
Dr.Franklin . I have accepted to offer you 30% of the total sum for
compensation and assistance after a succesfull transfer into your account, I
solicit for your honest assistance and coperation to enable us transfer this
fund into your account immediately. The banking law and guidelines here
stipulates that any account abandoned or is dormant for a period of years,
is deemed closed and all money contained there in is forfeited to the
government treasury account.

Now, it is being speculated that the above sum will be transferred into the
government account as an unclaimed fund if no one comes for the claim , the
reason for requesting you to present yourself as the next of kin to the
deceased is occasioned by the fact that the deceased was a foreigner and i
do not want the money to go into the Government Treasury account as
unclaimed bills. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Looking Forward to hear from you soonest.

Regards,
Mr.Wisdom Dozie.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam