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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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)
  • ",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)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Saleem Muhammad" <saleemmuhammad28@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: saleemmuhammad59@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:11:49 +0800
Subject: Waiting for your urgent reply.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I’m Mr Saleem Muhammad from Pakistan based in Malaysia. l’m the ex- Assistant Manager of the Finance & Auditing department for former Head of State – Malaysia Palm Oil Company.
I was impressed by your position hence decided to contact you for assistance. I have with me USD17,500,000 (Seventeen Million and Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) which I deposited in a Bank here in Malaysia.
This money was made through the profits of palm oil sales which were allocated to a Russian company (name withheld). This was during my time with Mahathir Mohamad’s government in Malaysia. I had deposited the above mentioned sum before leaving the office.
The World Bank has ordered all accounts of persons under Mahathir Mohamad’s government to be frozen. In view of the fact that I was indeed in the government, I’m unable to use my name in any banking transactions. Thus, I’m unable to retrieve my money from the Bank here.
I am ready to compensate you greatly with more than a reasonable amount of the money based on your ROLE and PERFORMANCE in this transaction. As soon as the money is transferred into your account, I will make a trip down to your country for the sharing of the money. I am prepared to offer you 40% of the total amount for acting as beneficiary in this transaction. My lawyer will advise the Bank by producing a Power of Attorney and other documents in your name enabling you to claim the fund without any connections to me whatsoever, through my lawyer.
If you are interested in assisting me in this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please do not forget that you are required to produce some valid identification documents (passport no, full name, etc.) as well as contact details such as phone numbers, address and bank details. I would like to get this over as I want to leave Malaysia and start a new life elsewhere by Allah’s grace.
Your kindness and co-operation in this matter is highly appreciated.
Yours faithfully,
Saleem Muhammad

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam