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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)
  • "million 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)
  • "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)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • didaharyson@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "MOHAMED ATIKU" <mohamedatiku3@ig.com.br>
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 21:18:05 +0200
Subject: PLEASE ASK MY SECREATRY TO GIVE YOU THE COMPENSATION I KEPT FOR YOUR PAST EFFORT


Dear Friend
This is to inform you about my success in getting the money moved under the
co-operation of a new patner from SHANGAI. Presently, I'm in SHANGAI for
the purpose of investing my own share of the money. Meanwhile i did'nt
forget your past efforts and attempts in assisting me to move the cash even
though we were not successful. Now contact my secretary in Benin-Republic
on the underlisted
contact;
NAME: MR DIDA HARYSON.
Email: (didaharyson@gmail.com)
Contact: 0022993792475,
HOUSE ADRESS/no 9 akpakpa road sululere IREDE mosque Cotonou, Benin Rep.
OFFICE ADRESS/no 45 agege road dagurugu cotonou benin rep.Ask him to send
you a draft to the sum of (1000,000.00)One million
dollars, which I kept for you as compensation for all your past efforts and
attempts to assist me in this matter.so i would like
you also to forward to him your information on where to receive the check .
I appreciated your efforts at that time so much. So feel free and contact
my secretary,MR DIDA HARYSON.and give him instructions on where to send the
money to you. Please let me know immediately you recieve it so that we can
share the joy after all the sufferings at that time. At the moment, I am
very busy here investing with my new patner.
Best regards,
BARR. MOHAMED ATIKU

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam