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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "money order " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
  • "cashier's check" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
• 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.
  • +2348025946886 (Nigeria, 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.
  • benstephen112@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Ben Stephen" <benstephen115@msn.com>
Reply-To: benstephen112@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 15:49:12 +0000
Subject: Trust!!!

FROM THE DESK OF: Ben stephen
BACON DOZEN INDUSTRIAL LTD
12 ADENIYI JONES SURULERE
LAGOS-NIGERIA
TELEPHONE: 234-802-594-6886
Dear friend,
I manage my dad's company here in Nigeria,we supply raw materials for
clothen companies from our industrial.It's grown up company being that we
have enough clothen resources here in our country, actually we need a
representative in the states,who can be working on behalf of our company in
receiving payment from our client.
We make limited of supplies to some of our clients in the states which I do
come to the state to receive payment after we supply them, so we realize
that its quite too expensive and stressful for me to be coming to the states
to recieve such payment twice in a month because most of the payment I
usually recieve is paid by cashier's check or money order which I shall be
paying you with 10% for doing this all you need to do is to recieve payment
on our behalf and then cash it. and you will deduct 10% for yourself on
every each payment you receive and then send the rest down to our company.
You dont have to go any lenght to pick the payment,because we will instruct
our client to make the payment out to you and it will be mailed out to you
in your location. so all you will need is to provide me with your full name
copy of your passport,drivers license,phone number and address where the
payment will be sent to and the company will sent to you the necessary
document which will back you up as our company representative over there in
the United States so you should know that you are engaging yourself in a
legit business which all the documents has been notarized in the federal
High Court here in Nigeria.
Upon clearance you will have to take your pecentage and wire the rest of the
money to the account or any form of transfer we supply to you. I beleive
that you must be a God fearing someone who cannot rip us off,because I still
know that we will meet ourselves when i come to the states very soon well I
beleive am faithfull and I can always be feeling as such to somebody else
and meanwhile most americans that I know are trustworthy, thought it is
somehow hard to trust this days but I beleive you can be trusted.
I will like you to response back to my alternative email address for
confidential purpose .
benstephen112@yahoo.com
Best Regards,
Ben Stephen

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam