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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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.

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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge amount of money" (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)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "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)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "wahab waziri" <wahab_waziri02@latinmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:01:38 +0100 (CET)
Subject: COMPLIMENT OF THE DAY.FROM MR WAHAB WAZIRI.


FROM THE DESK OF:MR .WAHAB WAZIRI.
DIRECTOR AUDIT AND ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT,
BANQUE SAHELO SAHARIENNER POUR L'INVESTISSEMENT ET COMMERCE
OUAGA-BURKINA-FASO.( B.S.I.C ) (BOA) GROUP.

ATTN: PLEASE.

GREETINGS TO YOU, I AM MR. WAHAB WAZIRI THE ACCOUNTANT MANAGER OF L=
ATE MR.MORRIS THOMPSON IN ( B.S.I.C ), HERE IN BURKINA FASO.HOWEVER I G=
OT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL WEB DIRECTORY.I DECIDED TO CO=
NTACT YOU BY EMAIL BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IT IS MORE SECURED AND PRIVATE.
RECENTLY I DISCOVERED A DORMANT ACCOUNT WITH A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY V=
ALUEDUSD30,000,000.00 (THIRTY MILLION U.S. DOLLARS ONLY)THAT BELONGS T=
O ONE OF OUR LATE CUSTOMER WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH.

DURING OUR INVESTIGATION AND AUDITING IN THIS BANK, MY DEPARTMENT C=
AME ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO LATE MR. MORRIS THOMPS=
ON AN AMERICAN GREAT INDUSTRIALIST AND A RESIDENT OF ALASKA, WHO UNFO=
RTUNATELY LOST HIS LIFE IN THE PLANE CRASH OF ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT 2=
61 WHICH CRASHED ON JANUARY 31 2000,INCLUDING HIS WIFE AND ONLY DAUGHTE=
R

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam