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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:
  • "tax clearance" (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. )
  • "transferred into your bank account" (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)
  • "we will advice you " (this email uses bad English)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• 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.
• 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.
  • barr_john_bowel@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Robert Mueller <robertmeuller23@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: barr_john_bowel@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2008 02:54:48 -0800 (PST)
Subject: NEW YORK FIELD OFFICE.


NEW YORK FIELD OFFICE.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
26 Federal Plaza
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10278.


FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.
J. EDGAR. HOOVER BUILDING WASHINGTON D.C
03/06/2008

Attn:

We wish to let you know that your fund which was on hold by the Nigerian government has been today released to our custody here in America to pay you through our customer care. So to this regards you are to reassure and proof to us that what you are about to receive is a clean money by sending to us FBI Identification Record and also Tax Clearance/Certificate of Deposite to satisfy to us that the money your about to receive is real money. You are to forward the documents to us immediately if you have it with you, if you dont have it go ahead and contact the attorney we satted his information bellow.

This Documents are to be issued to you from the place where the fund was transfer from which is Central Bank Of Nigeria By Barr. John Bowel The personal attorney to Central bank of Nigeria, so get back to us immediately if you don't have the document contact the barrister bellow with his email address so that he will assist you to obtain it in from Federal Republic Of Nigeria, because we have come to realise that the fund was originated from Federal Republic of Nigeria, the attorney will tell you what it will take you to obtain the Documents to you, and bear in mind that as soon as we recieve this Documents the fund will be release to you immediately.

Personal Attorney to CENTRAL BANK OF Nigeria.
Email: barr_john_bowel@yahoo.com

KINDLY CONTACT HIM IMMEDIATELY AND GET BACK TO US WITH HIS RESPONSE SO THAT WE WILL ADVICE YOU ON WHAT TO DO NEXT AND LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR FUND WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND NOTE THAT YOU SHOULD LET HIM KNOW THAT IT IS THE FEDERAL BUREAU INVESTIGATION THAT SENT YOU TO CONTACT HIM REGARDS TO THIS REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.

WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT ATTENTION ON THIS MATTER.


FBI Director
Robert S. Mueller, III



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam