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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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• 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.

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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:
  • "hundred thousand u.s 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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • jmadk57@yahoo.pl (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • jameskufi@lycos.com

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?MR=20JAMES=20KUFI=20MADUKA?= <jmadk57@yahoo.pl>
Reply-To: jmad_kufi@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:16:18 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: PLEASE REPLY ME


Mam nowy adres elektroniczny!Odtad listy do mnie nalezy wysylac na adres: jmadk57@yahoo.pl

READ CAREFULLY TO UNDERSTAND AND REPLY AS DIRECTED

- Sir, I am Mr. James Maduka Kufi, Project Engineer with Ghana Gold Mining Corporation located in KUMASI City of Ghana. In October 2007 I received a gratification of Ten Million, five Hundred Thousand U.S Dollars (US$10,5M) from an American company for helping them to win a contract of US$250million awarded to them by the Federal Government of Ghana for the re-construction of the mining site at VOLTA REGION. I got your information from our foreign affair department trusting in your ability to render an immediate assistance by receiving this fund in your custody for protection and investment, because as a civil servant here in my country we are not allowed to have such huge some in our possession neither are we allowed to operate foreign bank account. This transaction is 100% risk free as it will be executed through a diplomatic means. Meanwhile due to presidential/general election coming up, moreover the instability that use to occur during and after election (for example what is happening in KENYA)our country president recently approved(on his 2008 fiscal year budgetary announcement) the full payment of all foreign contractor's outstanding debts. So I have arranged to use the opportunity to present you as the beneficiary (now that first quarter contractor’s payment is going on) who did the contract to enable me moves this fund out in your name into your custody. Contact me for more details (URGENT). Privacy Email me at: jameskufi@lycos.com Thanks for your co-operation and understanding. Best regards, Mr. James Kufi

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam