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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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.
  • fsunata_fred@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: adjovi king <adjovi_king@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 10:02:35 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: confirm this fast


Dear Sir
How are you?

I'm Mr.Ajovi king who wrote to you some time ago
seeking for your
assistance to transfer some funds into your account.

Although we could not finish the transaction because
of some little
financial set-back at your end, I wish to inform you
here that I have
successfully transacted with a God-Given trustworthy
man who has helped
me and my family in the timle of needs.
I wish to tell you that I and my family are
successfully residing in Spain where we want to
re-establish ourselves.
I am using the opportunity to thank you who made
intentions to help,
although we couldn't finished up, and to you
personally, I have written and dropped a check of
$450,000/- for your compensation for all you have done
and
intentions to assist me then. This is my pure
appreciation to you and I have
instructed a friend in Cotonou Benin Rep to send you
the cheque and a letter attached to it.
Have you received it?, reply to me so that we can
discuss some other businesses in your area as i hoped
to make some investment too in your area.
I need your urgent reply and current phone no so that
I will call you to
discuss further with you. In case you have not
received the cheque, kindly contact:

Mr. Fredrick Sunata
E mail : fsunata_fred@yahoo.com
Best regards,
Mr. Ajovi king..


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam