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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "attorneys " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348039521682 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • sanisanusi_ecowascounsellor@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Patrick Lawson" <contact_patricklawson@yahoo.it>
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2007 12:33:11 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Contact Ecowas Head Office


FONDATION DI VITTORIO (FDV).
Corso Ercole I d'Este 44,
Ferrara 44100 - Italy


Qualification number: FDV N-222-6747, E-900-56

Ms Nadine Kaestler
Donation pin number 21556770665477


This is to acknowledge the receipt of the requested data and the confirmation of your reliability in this universal programme. You should count yourself extremely lucky to have emerged as one of this year's lucky donation recipient. You have been selected amongst the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of US$500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) as donations aid from the Foundation Di Italy, ECOWAS, EU and the UNO in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament. Your email address was selected randomly from over 100,000 internet websites or a shop's cash invoice around your area in which you might have purchased something from.

I have forwarded the produced data, to the head office of the Foundation Di Italy (ITALY) and the ECOWAS head office (Organisation assigned to handle your payment) in NIGERIA.

The Foundation Di Italy has discovered a huge number of double claims due to beneficiaries informing close friends relatives, attorneys and third parties about their donations. As a result of this, this close friends relatives, attorneys and third parties try to claim the prize on behalf of the real recipients. The Foundation Di Italy has lost millions of dollars to this fraudulent people, and have reached a decision from headquarters that any double claim discovered by the Foundation Di Italy, will result to the cancelation of that particular donation, making a loss for both the double claimer and the real beneficiary, as it is taken that the real recipient was the informer to the double claimer about the donation. So you are hereby advised once more to keep your informations strictly confidential until your claim has been fully recovered.

Included in this letter is your donation pin number to be used when claiming your donation. Your donation pin number is "21556770665477". This number should be kept strictly confidential by you, as you will use it in receiving your donation.
You are to immediately contact the Payout officer in the ECOWAS office in Abuja, Nigeria for claim of your donation. Please do contact the officer in the below information.

CONTACT INFOS.
MR.Sani sanusi
COUNSELLOR, ECOWAS HEAD OFFICE ABUJA.
PLOT 4, BLOCK 23,
GARKI, ABUJA.NIGERIA
EMAIL:sanisanusi_ecowascounsellor@yahoo.com
TEL: +234 803 952 1682
+234 805 615 0577


Do note that on contact with MR. Sani sanusi you are to provide him with your
Full Name.
Phone Number.
Donation pin number as stated above.
Residential address.
This will enable the ECOWAS office to verify your claim with the files which has been sent to them.

Please contact MR. Sani sanusi immediately. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Signed,
Mr.Patrick Lawson
Foundation Secretary.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam