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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:

• 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:
  • "with absolute secrecy" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "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.
  • nicholasjames46@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: JIM NICHOLAS <jimnick@o2.pl>
Reply-To: jimnick@myway.com
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 05:49:53 +0200
Subject: Important information


I apologize if the contents here under are contrary to your moral
ethics, but please treat it with absolute secrecy and personal courtesy. I am Mr. Jim Nicholas a senior account officer / auditor with one of the foreign banks here in Italy . I have a business, which I would like to introduce to you, and I think it would be of benefit to us. This is just an opportunity that came my way, and hence We thought it wise to utilize it.
In the process of auditing foreign accounts this quarter, I and one of
My colleagues recently discovered that there is a dormant account that has a large amount of money and after due verification of this account we discovered that the account owner/holder passed on with his family couple of years back in a plane Crash.
In view of this, We seeking for your co-operation and understanding to stand
as the next of kin to our deceased customer to enable us claim the
fund from my Bank.
Hence, if this proposal is OK by you , Please kindly get in touch with
me immediately, strictly via my private email address only: nicholasjames46@yahoo.it to enable me enlighten you on how we are to proceed.
On getting your response, we shall agree on the percentage we will give you.
Be rest assured that this business is 100% risk free and would be
conducted on a legitimate ground, which will protect you and me from every breach of law.
We wait for your prompt response.
Regards,
Mr. Jim Nicholas.
NB: PLEASE NOTE THAT IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU ARE NOT RELATED TO MY
LATE CLIENT OR NOT, THE FUND WILL STILL BE PAID TO YOU,SINCE WE ARE PRESENTING
YOU AS HIS NEXT OF KIN.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam