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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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• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "million us 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)
  • "you will be entitled to 30%" (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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • saliftankocontact1@yahoo.ca (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "salif_tanko 123" <saliftankocontact1@yahoo.ca>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 17:33:13 +0100
Subject: salif


DEAR FRIEND.

I AM MANAGER IN CHARGE OF AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT FOREIGN EXCHANGE
DEPARTMENT BANK OF AFRICA (B.O.A) OUAGA-BURKINA FASO WEST AFRICA, WITH DUE
RESPECT AND REGARDS, I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A BUSINESS TRANSACTION
THAT WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US AT THE END OF THE
TRANSACTION.DURING MY INVESTIGATION AND AUDITING IN THE BANK, MY DEPARTMENT
CAME ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON, A
FOREIGNER WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH INCIDENT.

THE FUND HAS BEEN DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THE BANK WITHOUT ANY CLAIM OF
THE FUND IN OUR CUSTODY EITHER FROM HIS FAMILY OR RELATION BEFORE OUR
DISCOVERY TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.ALTHOUGH PERSONALLY, I KEPT THIS INFORMATION
SECRET WITHIN MYSELF TOENABLE THE WHOLE PLANS AND IDEA BE PROFITABLE AND
SUCCESSFUL DURING THE TIME OF EXECUTION, THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IS
(USD$25.000,000), ( MILLION US DOLLARS), MEANWHILE THE WHOLE ARRANGEMENT AND
DIRECTIVES NEEDED TO PUT CLAIM OVER THIS FUND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE
DECEASED, WILL BE FORWARD TO YOU UPON YOUR ACCEPTANCE INFORMATION WILL BE
RELAYED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO
ASSIST US AND ALSO BENEFIT YOUR SELF TO THIS GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.

IN FACT I COULD HAVE DONE THIS DEAL ALONE BUT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION IN THIS
COUNTRY AS A CIVIL SERVANT, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO OPERATE A FOREIGN ACCOUNT
AND WOULD EVENTUALLY RAISE AN EYE BROW ON MY SIDE DURING THE TIME OF
TRANSFER BECAUSE I WORK IN THIS BANK. THIS IS THE ACTUAL REASON WHY IT WILL
REQUIRE A SECOND PARTY OR FELLOW WHO WILL FORWARD CLAIMS AS THE NEXT OF KIN
WITH AFFIDAVIT OF TRUST OF OATH TO THE BANK AND ALSO PRESENT A FOREIGN
ACCOUNT WHERE HE WILL NEED THE MONEY TO B ERE-TRANSFERRED INTO ON HIS
REQUEST AS IT MAY BE, AFTER DUE VERIFICATION AND CLARIFICATION TO DESIGNATED
BANK ACCOUNT.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE, ON
SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 30% OF THE
TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION, WHILE 60% WILL BE FOR ME PLEASE, YOU HAVE BEEN
ADVISED TO KEEP TOP SECRET AS WE ARE STILL IN SERVICE AND INTEND TO RETIRE
FROM SERVICE AFTER WE CONCLUDE THIS DEAL WITH YOU.

I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THE BANK UNTIL YOU CONFIRM
THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND ASK US TO COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR
SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGES PREVIOUSLY INDICATED
AND FURTHER INVESTMENT, EITHER IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY YOU MAY
ADVICE US TO INVEST IN.ALL OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU
WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU.I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME THROUGH MY PRIVATE EMAIL
ADDRESS saliftankocontact1@yahoo.ca AS SOON AS POSSIBLE STATING YOUR WISH IN
THIS DEAL
BEST REGARD,

MR.SALIF TANKO

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam