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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:
  • "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "cotonou" (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.
  
• 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.
  • +22993046557 (Benin, probably a 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.
  • central_bank_plc100@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: williamsgani001@zipmail.com.br
Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2007 04:55:16 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?CONTACT=20THE=20CENTRAL=20BANK=20OF=20BENIN=20REPUBLIC?=

ATTN: SIR/MADAM
THIS IS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOUR FUNDS IS READY TO BE WIRED TO YOU FROM
CENTRAL BANK COTONOU

BENIN REPUBLIC WHICH IS OUR APEX BANK HERE.AS YOU MAY UNDERSTAND WE TRIED
ALL POSSIBLE BEST TO

SEND YOUR DRAFT SO LONG BUT A LOT OF OBSTACLES ARISED IN THE PROCESS AND
FINALLY THE DRAFT

US$800,000 WAS DUMPED IN OUR BANK STRONG ROOM BEING THAT YOU DID NOT MEET
UP TO PAY NECESSARY

CHARGE TO DELIVER THE DRAFT TO YOU.

WE GOT INSTRUCTION RECENTLY FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
TO SEND ALL UNDELIVERED

FOREIGNER'S DRAFT/CASH TO CENTRAL BANK ( APEX BANK) BEING THE ONLY BANK
HERE WITH IMMUNITY TO

MAKE FOREIGN TRANSFER.AS MATTER OF FACT THE GOVERNMENT HAS WARNED US TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE SETTLE

ALL FOREIGN DEBTS BEFORE CLOSING PAYMENT FILE FOR THE YEAR 2007.IN RESPECT
OF THE ABOVE YOU

EXPECTED TO CONTACT THE CENTRAL BANK IMMEDIATELY FOR URGENT RECEIVE OF TOTAL
SUM INTO YOUR BANK

ACCOUNT AS YOU DID NOT MEET UP TO RECEIVE YOUR DRAFT LAST TIME.KINDLY CONTACT
THE CENTRAL BANK

VIA E-mail:central_bank_plc100@yahoo.fr or PHONE +229-93-046-557 ASK FOR
DR.UGO IFE DIRECTOR OF

INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT CENTRAL BANK COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
.

AS SOON AS YOU CONTACT THE DR.DIRECTOR AND FORWARD YOUR BANK INFORMATION
TO HIM YOUR US$800,000

WILL BE TRANSFERED TO YOU WITH 48 BANKING HOUR.
I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
MR WILLIAMS GANI

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam