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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "diplomatic delivery"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "your payment is being processed" (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)
  • "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)
  • "diplomatic delivery" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "steve williams" <stevewills_200@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2006 00:32:15 +0100
Subject: OUT STANDING PAYMENT

Attn;sir,

This is to inform you that following the recent agreements reached bewtween
the federal government of nigeria, the international monetary fund in the
presence of the governing boards of bank of london uk,central bank of
nigeria and other commercial banks in uk and west africa this commission the
foreign debt inestigation commission have been mandated to verify and pay to
all over due and long outstanding inherited funds, lottery winnings and
contract funds in uk and africa.

sir based on this decision we have verified From the records of outstanding
debts due for payment as agreed by the above bodies and the federal
government of nigeria, your name and company was discovered as next on the
list of the outstanding beneficiaries who have not received their payments.

I wish to inform you that your payment is being processed and will be
released to you as soon as you respond to this letter. Also note that from
my record in my file your outstanding payment is us$4.8 million dollars
(four million eight hundred thousand united states dollars).

Please re-confirm to me if this is in accordance with what you have in your
record and also re-confirm to me the followings

1) Your full name.

2) phone, fax and mobile

3) Your residential Address

4) Profession, age and marital status

5) copy of your international passport or drivers Licence or any form of
identification.

sir As soon as this informations are received, your payment will be made to
you via swift transfer or bank darft or paid to you by cash via diplomatic
delivery to your door step in your home country as you may wish, therefore
you are adviced to get back to this office immediately for your payment.

Congratulations sir and we apologise for the delay in payment of your
overdue funds.

Thanking you for your understanding.

YOURS FAITHFULLY

DR STEVE WILLIAMS
CHAIRMAN, FOREIGN PAYMENT
INVESTIGATION BUREAU
234-807-634-8901

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam