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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:

• 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:
  • "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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • chrisonye_2004@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Chris Onye" <chrisonye2002@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 07 Nov 2005 17:22:36 +0000
Subject: PLEASE, I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

HELLO DEAR ,

THIS MAIL WILL DEFINITELY BE COMING TO YOU AS A SURPRISE, BUT I MUST CRAVE
YOUR INDULGENCE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU. MY NAME IS MR. CHRISTOPHER
ONYE.I WORK WITH THE INLAND BANK OF NIGERIA PLC AS A GROUP HEAD TREASURY
DEPARTMENT. IN THE DISCHARGE OF MY DUTY, I STUMBLED ON THIS DOMICILIARY
ACCOUNT THAT HAS REMAINED DORMANT WITH TWO MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($2.5M) IN IT. ON PERSONAL INVESTIGATION, I
DISCOVEREDTHAT THE ACCOUNT HOLDER DIED IN AUTO CRASH ACCIDENT WITH THE
MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY WHO SHOULD BE THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE AMOUNT.

I AM WRITING YOU SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO REMIT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY
INTO YOUR ACCOUNT BY PRESENTING YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN, HENCE THE DEPOSITOR
HAPPENED TO BE A FOREIGNER. IT IS A 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 IT BACK TO THE NIGERIAN DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION ACCOUNT.NOTE HERE , THAT I WILL BE DUE TO LEAVE THE BANK IN LESS
THAN FIVE MONTHS FROM NOW AS INLAND BANK HAVE RECENTLY BEEN AQUIRED
BYGUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC .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. WHAT I WANT FROM YOU IS
FOR YOU TO ACT AS THE DECEASED NEXT OF KIN. I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION, ALL THE
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISH THE OPERATION. BEAR IN MIND
THAT THIS PROPOSAL IS 100% RISK FREE.

FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR POSITIVE
RESPONSE. I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE , STATING YOUR
WISH.YOU CAN ALSO,SEND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER TO ENABLE ME CALL YOU IF YOU
ARE INTERESTED FOR US TO DISCUSS.YOU MAY SEND YOUR REPLY TO MY ALTERNATIVE
EMAIL ADDRESS : (chrisonye_2004@myway.com)

BEST REGARDS,

CHRISTOPHER ONYE.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam