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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:
  • "million 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)
  • ",000,000" (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.
  • +2348032312892 (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.
  • ahmedshuru_ecowaspaymentunit@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: ANDRE BERNARD <andrebernard_fdf011@yahoo.fr>
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:49:08 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: CONTACT ECOWAS COUNSELOR FOR DONATION (Your donation pin number is "21556770665477")



THE FONDATION DE FRANCE(FDF).
16 Rue Lanterne,
Lyon 69001, France.


Dear Marlena Meyerer,

CONGRATULATION!!! 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$1,000,000.00 (One Million United States Dollars) as donations aid from the Fondation De France, ECOWAS, EU (European Union) 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 Fondation De France (FRANCE) and the the ECOWAS head office (Organisation assigned to handle your payment) in NIGERIA.

The Fondation De France 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 Fondation has lost millions of dollars to this fraudulent people, and have reached a decision from headquarters that any double claim discovered by the Fondation De France, will result to the cancellation 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 informant to the double claimer about the donation. You are hereby advised once more to keep all information 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 Payment 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. AHMED SHURU
COUNSELLOR, ECOWAS HEAD OFFICE ABUJA.
PLOT 4, BLOCK 23,
GARKI, ABUJA.NIGERIA
EMAIL:ahmedshuru_ecowaspaymentunit@yahoo.com
TEL: +234 803 231 2892

Fill the form below and send it along with your mail to Mr. Ahmed Shuru

FULL NAMES:__________________________________
ADDRESS: _________________________________________________
CITY:_________________________
STATE:__________________________________ ZIP: ______________
COUNTRY________________________________
SEX:_______________
AGE:__________________
MARITAL STATUS:_________________
OCCUPATION:________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________
TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________



Do note that on contact with Mr. Ahmed Shuru, you are to provide him with your

Full Name.
Donation pin number as stated above.
Residential address.

This will enable the ECOWAS HEAD OFFICE to verify your claim with the files which has been sent to them.

Please contact Mr. Ahmed Shuru immediately. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Congratulations once again!

Signed,
Mr. Andre Bernard
Executive Secretary.



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Ne gardez plus qu'une seule adresse mail ! Copiez vos mails vers Yahoo! Mail

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Ne gardez plus qu'une seule adresse mail ! Copiez vos mails vers Yahoo! Mail

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam