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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:
  • "million us 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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • jeffersonpett@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: drawinfo stake <drawinfo@drawinfo5.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 22:54:46 +0100 (CET)
Subject: FROM MR PETER JEFFERSON,


FROM MR PETER JEFFERSON,
I hope my email meets you well. I am in need of your assistance. My name is Major Mark Hugh, Jr. I am in the trategic/information military unit working with some Iraqi here in Bagdad in Iraq. We have about $15.5 Million US dollars that we want to move out of the country. My partners and I need a good partner that we can trust.
We have moved it through diplomatic means, and it is presently in a finance/securities agency vault in Europe. You are to contact this firm on our behalf to send it to a bank of your choice conforming with all banking regulations. You can also personally go for its claim at the office of this mission in Europe. The most important thing is that can we trust you? Once the funds get to you, you take your 30% out and keep our own 70%. Your own part of this deal is to find a safe place where the funds can be sent to. Our own part is sending your particulars as the beneficiary to the security company.
If you are interested I will furnish you with more details. But the whole process is simple and we must keep a low profile at all times.
Waiting for your urgent response. Contact me through my private secured email: jeffersonpett@aim.com
Regards,
Peter Jefferson.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam