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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned 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: DR SALIU SADIQ <saliu@emsergipe.com>
Reply-To: drsaliusadiq2010@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2007 15:52:57 -0300
Subject: WE NEED TO DO BUSINESS !!! URGENT !!!

>FROM THE DESK OF DR. SALIU SADIQ=20UNION BANK NIGERIA PLC13, BROAD STREET LAGOSTelephone.234-80-33275231.=20Dear Sir/Madam,=20I am DR. SALIU SADIQ, Director of Operations Foreign Remittance with the =Union Bank of Nigeria, Plc. I am writing this letter to ask for your Assi=stance and co-operation to carry out this business/transaction.=20In my department we discovered abandoned sum of US$15.5M (FIFTEEN MILLION=,FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) in an account that bel=ongs to one of our foreign customers late Engineer and an oil merchant wi=th the Federal Government of Nigeria Late Eng. John Creek (Junior) who di=ed along with his entire family of a wife and two children in Kenya Air B=us (A310-300) flight Kq430 in November 1997.Since we heard of his death, =we have been expecting his Next of kin to come over and put claims for hi=s money as the heir because we cannot release the fund from his account u=nless someone applies for claim as the next of kin to the deceased as ind=icated in our banking guide lines.=20Unfortunately, neither his family member nor distant relative has applied= to claim the said fund. Upon this discovery, I and others officials in m=y department have agreed to make business with you and release the Total =amount to you. We decided to make this business with you because no perso=ns have come for the claim of the fund and we want to avoid it from being= returned to our Bank treasury as unclaimed fund/bad debt.=20The terms of sharing can only be discussed if you indicate your willingne=ss in assisting us.=20Anticipating hearing from you.=20Yours Faithfully,=20DR. SALIU SADIQ.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam