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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
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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22997584231 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • maxwell_eke2@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: Maxwell Eke <maxwell_eke3@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: maxwell_eke1@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 07:42:56 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Dearly Beloveth


Dear Friend,

Mr Maxwell Eke is my name, an accountant & the auditor general of the BANK OF AFRICA here in cotonou Republic of Benin.

I wish to know if we can work together. I would like you to stand as the next of kin to our deceased client who made a fixed deposit of USD$7.5m to our bank.
He died without any next of kin and as such his funds now have an open beneficiary mandate.

Get back to me if you are interested on : (maxwell_eke2@yahoo.com)

Mr Maxwell Eke,

Tel: +229 9758 42 31.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam