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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "UNION BANK PLC" <higdone770@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: ezedavid6@myway.com
Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2006 13:03:08 +0000
Subject: ATTENTION....

FROM THE DESK OF MR EZE DAVID
UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC
ATTENTION:
DEAR,
STRICTLLY A PRIVATE BUSINESS PROPOSAL
I AM MR EZE DAVID, THE MANAGER, BILLS AND EXCHANGE
AT THEFOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE UNION BANK
OF NIGERA PLC. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR
YOUR SUPPORT AND COOPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT. WE DISCOVERED
AN ABANDONED SUM OF $15,000.000.00(FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED
STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN
ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS
WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY OF A WIFE AND
TWO CHILDREN IN NOVEMBER 1997 IN A PLANE CRASH.
SINCE WE HARD OF HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING.HIS
NEXT-OF-KIN TO COME OVER AND PUT CLAIMS FOR HIS MONEY
AS THE HEIR, BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE FUND FROM
HIS ACCOUNT UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE
NEXTOF-KIN TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING
GUIDELINES.
UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THEIR FAMILY MEMBER NOR DISTANT
RELATIVE HAS EVER APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUND.
UPON THIS DISCOVERY, I AND OTHER OFFICIALS INMY
DEPARTMENT HAVE AGREED TO MAKE BUSINESS WITH YOU AS THE HEIR
OF THE FUND SINCE NO ONE CAME FOR IT OR DISCOVERED HE
MAINTAINED ACCOUNT WITH OUR BANK, OTHERWISE THE FUND
WILL BE RETURNED TO THE BANKS TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED
FUND.WE HAE AGREED THAT OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL BE
AS STATEDTHUS: 25% FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER,65% FOR
US THE OFFICAIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT AND 10% FOR THE
SETTLEMENT OF ALL LOCAL AND FOREIGN EXPENSES INCURRED
BY US AND YOU DURING THE COURSE OF THIS BUSINESS.UPON
THE SUCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS TRANSFER, I AND ONE
OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL COME TO YOUR COUNTRY AND MIND
OUR SHARE.

IT IS FROM OUR 60% WE INTEND TO IMPORT
AGRICULTURAL MACHINERIES INTO MY COUNTRY AS A WAY OF
RECYCLING THE FUND. TO COMMENCE THIS TRANSACTION, WE
REQUIRE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY INDICATE YOUR INTEREST BY A
RETURN E- MAIL AND ENCLOSE YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT
TELEPHONE NUMBER, FAX NUMBER FULL NAME AND ADDRESS AND
YOUR DESIGNATED BANK COORDINATES TO ENABLE US FILE
LETTER OF CLAIM TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS FOR
NECESSARY APPROVALS BEFORE THE TRANSFER CAN BE MADE.
NOTE ALSO, THIS TRANSACTION MUST BE KEPT STRICTLY
CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE OF ITS NATURE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.
MR EZE DAVID

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam