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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.

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • jamesbabra9@hotmail.com
  • jamesbabra2@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: jamesbabra@zipmail.com.br
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:32:30 +0000
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Dear=20Friend?=

Dear Friend

I am communicating with you believing that you would be able to assist me
in handling large volume of money belonging to my late client who died in
a plane disaster, we have done everything possible to locate any member
of his family but it turned out that the man did not leave a contact of
any member of family before he died, he had the sum of US$8,500,000.00 (Eight
Million Five Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars) only.

This money was deposited with a security company and all the documents are
in my position as I was his attorney/solicitor. I am therefore soliciting
your support in moving this money to be shared among us since there is no
one else to make this claim; I will get all documents ready so that you
can have the legal backing to assume ownership of this money.

If you agree then reply to me with your contact details through any of these
email addresses: jamesbabra9@hotmail.com , jamesbabra2@yahoo.com I will
tell you the modalities for the movement of the funds and we shall also
agree on the sharing pattern between you and I.

I await your quick response.

Regards
James Babra

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam