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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 immunity"
• 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)
  • "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 immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "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: "richard stevenson" <richardstevenson15@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: stevenson.richard@voila.fr
Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2007 20:06:43 +0000
Subject: HELLO FRIEND,

HELLO FRIEND,

I AM DR.RICHARD STEVENSON, A SENIOR STAFF WITH THE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).I AM WRITING YOU THIS LETTER BECAUSE
COOL PENNY IS BETTER THAN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. IT IS BETTER FOR ONE TO
LIVE AND DIE A POOR HONEST MAN THAN A RICH DISHONEST ONE.I AND THE
CHIEF
SECURITY OFFICER (CSO) OF OUR BANK HAVE ARRANGED WITH AN OFFICER IN
COMPUTER
SECTION ENGINEER CHUKA ILOH TO BRING OUT PART OF YOUR TOTAL CONTRACT
SUM
AMOUNTING TO FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS.

WHY WE DID THIS,IS BECAUSE ACCORDING TO INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE
BANKCOMPUTER, YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME TO RECEIVE YOUR
MONEY WITHOUT SUCCESS. AS I FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAVE ALMOST MET ALL THE
STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF THE CBN IN RESPECT OF YOUR CONTRACT
PAYMENT,YOUR
PROBLEM IS THAT OF INTEREST GROUPS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR PAYMENT AND THOSE
PEOPLEAREMERELY DOING PAPER WORKS WITH YOU AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU
RECEIVE
FAXAND
PHONE MESSAGES FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE EVERYDAY.ALSO WE FOUND OUTTHAT
SOME OF
THE OFFICIALS OF THE PARASTATALS HAVE BEEN EXTORTING A LOT OF MONEY
FROM YOU
WITH THE
PRETEXT OF HELPING YOU RECEIVE YOUR MONEY,I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS
MAY LAST FOR YEARS YET NOTHING HAPPENS IF YOU DO NOT DO AWAY WITH THOSE
OFFICERS THAT YOU CALL YOUR PARTNERS.AND FOR SECURITY REASONS DO NOT
TELL
ANYBODY THAT YOU HAVE YOUR MONEY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE CASH AT YOUR
DOORSTEP.

THE MONEY IS IN TWO SECURITY-PROOF BOXES WEIGHING 10KG EACH, THAT IS
20KG FOR THE TWO BOXES, YESTERDAY WE WENT TO FOUR COURIER COMPANIES
TOMAKE
ARRANGEMENTS ON HOW TO SHIP THEM BY COURIER TO YOU. DHL, EMS,FEDEX, ISA
ALL SAID THAT THEY MUST OPEN THE BOXES FOR INSPECTION BY THECUSTOMS
BEFORE
SHIPMENT. THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO AVOID BECAUSE THEBOXES WERE
PADDED WITH MACHINE.

WE TOLD THE COURIER COMPANY THAT THE BOXES CONTAINS PHOTOGRAPHIC AND
FILM MATERIALS AND WHEN OPEN WILL LOOSE ITS EFICACY.WE DID NOT DECLARE
MONEY
BECAUSE COURIER DOES NOT CARRYMONEY.TODAY A FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS A
DIPLOMAT DISCLOSED TO ME THAT THERE IS COURIER COMPANY THEY USE TO SEND
DIPLOMATIC MATERIALS AND INFORMATION FROM ONE COUNTRY TO ANOTHER,IT HAS
DIPLOMATIC
IMMUNITY AND CANNOT BE INSPECTED BY ANY CUSTOMS ANYWHERE IN THE
WORLD.THE NAME OF THE COURIER SERVICE IS UNION DIPLOMATIC SECURITY
COURIER
COMPANY (UDSCC).

I WILL MEET WITH THEM AS SOON AS I HAVE YOUR GO AHEAD ORDER.
THE DIPLOMAT WILL HELP ME SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM. WE HAVE
CONCLUDED THAT YOU MUST COMPENSATE US WITH FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATES DOLLARS AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR MONEY. TO THIS
EFFECT, YOU WILL SEND US A PROMISSORY NOTE FOR FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED
STATES
DOLLAR ALONG WITH YOUR ADDRESS FOR SENDING THE BOXES BY COURIER.

PLEASE MAINTAIN TOPMOST SECRECY AS IT MAY CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS IF
FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE USING THIS WAY TO HELP YOU,DO NOT EVER TELL
ANYBODY
ABOUT THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR MONEY. I WANT TO HELPYOU BECAUSE
SOMETHING IN
ME IS TELLING ME THAT YOU
ARE AN HONEST PERSON.

WHEN YOU CONCLUDE WITH THIS AND YOU SEND OUR PROMISE, WE WILL HELP TO
SHIP PART OF YOUR MONEY TO YOU.

NB: PLEASE REPLY ME THROUGH
MY PRIVATE E-MAIL ADDRESS:
stevenson.richard@voila.fr

GOD IS WITH US AS WE WAIT FOR YOUR REPLY.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR.RICHARD STEVENSON

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam