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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!
  
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• 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.

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:
  • ",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)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • johnobi@indiatimes.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From:
Reply-To: johnobi@indiatimes.com
Date:
Subject: SEEKING FOR PARTNERSHIP

SUBJECT: SEEKING FOR PARTNERSHIP FOR INHERITANCE FUND CLAIM OF $12.5MUS=
D
ATTN:
MY NAME IS MR JOHN OBI, I AM A STAFF OF CITIBANK NA, LAGOS-NIGERIA IN A=
=46RICA=20
WITH OUR HEAD OFFICE IN NEW YORK, USA. I WORK IN THE OPERATIONS DEPT WH=
ERE I=20
SERVE AS ACCOUNT OFFICER TO NUMEROUS CUSTOMERS I HAVE URGENT AND VERY=20
CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSITION FOR YOU. ON SEPT 2001,AN AMERICAN FOR=
EIGN=20
OIL CONSULTANT/CONTRACTOR WITH THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORAT=
ION,=20
LATE MR. (John Shumejda) MADE A NUMBERED TIME (FIXED) DEPOSIT FOR TWELV=
E=20
CALENDAR MONTHS, VALUED AT US$12,500,000.00, (TWELVE MILLION, FIVE HUND=
RED=20
THOUSAND DOLLARS) IN MY BRANCH. UPON MATURITY, MY BOSS SENT A ROUTINE=20
NOTIFICATION TO HIS FORWARDING ADDRESS BUT GOT NO REPLY.
AFTER A MONTH, WE SENT A REMINDER AND FINALLY WE DISCOVERED FROM HIS=20
CONTRACT EMPLOYERS, THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) =
THAT=20
LATE MR. (JOHN SHUMEJDA) AN AMERICAN HAD UNFORTUNATELY LOST HIS LIFE IN=
THE=20
PLANE CRASH. YOU SHALL READ MORE ABOUT THE CRASH ON VISITING THIS SITE.=
=20
http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/01/04/england.plane/
SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NE=
XT OF=20
KIN OR RELATIVES TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE CANNOT REL=
EASE=20
IT UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DEC=
EASED=20
AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES.
UNFORTUNATELY HE LEFT NOBODY AS HIS NEXT OF KIN WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF T=
HIS=20
=46UND BEHIND FOR THE CLAIM. IT IS THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY THAT I=
AND=20
TWO OTHER OFFICIALS IN THIS DEPARTMENT NOW DECIDED TO MAKE BUSINESS WIT=
H YOU=20
AND RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR BENEFICIARY OF THE F=
UNDS=20
=46OR SAFETY KEEPING AND
SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DON=92T WA=
NT THIS=20
MONEY TO GO BACK INTO GOVERNMENT TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL.
THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINES HERE STIPULATES THAT SUCH MONEY REMAINED=
=20
AFTER EIGHT YEARS, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO BANKING TREASURY =
AS=20
UNCLAIMED FUNDS. WE HAVE JOINTLY AGREED THAT 30% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE =
=46OR=20
YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, 10% FOR CHARITY AND WHILE THE BALANCE WILL BE F=
OR MY=20
COLLEAGUES AND ME. I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR THE DISBURSEMENT ACCOR=
DING=20
TO THE PERCENTAGES INDICATED ABOVE ONCE THIS MONEY GETS INTO YOUR ACCOU=
NT.=20
THIS PERCENTAGE-SHARING RATIO WILL BE DRAFTED AND SEALED WITH AN AGREEM=
ENT=20
LETTER ON BLACK AND WHITE THAT WILL BIND BOTH OF US AND GUARANTEE OUR=20
SHARES.
=46INALLY, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL, QUICKLY REPLY ME BACK ON=
THIS=20
EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER: johnobi@indiatimes.com WITH YOUR FULL NAMES,=20
ADDRESS, COMPLETE BANKING DETAILS AS IT WILL APPEAR IN THE CLAIMS DOCUM=
ENTS=20
TO THE BANK AND YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR ORAL COMMUNICATION.
ABOVE ALL, PLEASE HANDLE THIS DEAL WITH MATURITY AND ABSOLUTE=20
CONFIDENTIALITY.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU FOR BEING OUR PARTNER.
REGARDS,
MR JOHN OBI=20

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam