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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:
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (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)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (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.
  • morristhompson021@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Morris Thompson" <morristhompson021@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: morristhompson021@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2006 14:24:17 +0000
Subject: Respond Needed

My Dear Friend

I know this will come to you as a surprise because you do not know me. I am
Mr. Morris Thompson, I work in the central bank of Nigeria, packaging and
courier department.

I got your contact in my search for an honest person through one of my
colleagues here in the central bank that said that I could confide in you.

I want you to help me clear this package that is already in London which I
shipped through our Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) accredited courier agent
but the contents of the package is Ten Million United States Dollars Only
($10,000,000.00) all in $100.00 bills, but the courier company does not know
that it is money that I have in the package.

All I want you to do for me now is this give me your mailing address your
private phone and fax and I hope that at the end of the day, you will have
30% and 70% will be for me. My identity must not be revealed to any body.

If this arrangement is okay by you, you can contact me through this E-mail
address morristhompson021@yahoo.com, for security reasons other modalities
will be discussed as soon as you get back to me including sending of the
keys to the boxes to you.

Yours faithfully,

Mr. Morris Thompson
Courier Department
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam