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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:
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. )
  • "huge deposit" (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 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +2348034879830 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Andrew Dames" <law_andrewdames15@e-mail.ua>
Reply-To: law_andrewdames2@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:00:24 -0700
Subject: Assistance Needed


Good day,

I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by
my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the
bank where this huge deposit were lodged.

Particularly, the bank where the deceased had an account valued at
about 8.5 million dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next
of kin or have the account confiscated.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating any possible relatives, I
now seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the
deceased since you have the same last name, so that the proceeds of
this account valued at 8.5 million dollars can be paid to
you and then you and I can share the money 60% to me and 40% to you.

I have all necessary legal documents and funds to back up any claim we
may make. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing
this deal through.

I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law and
within the shortest possible time.

Do get in touch with me by my email or telephone for further
directives on how to go about actualizing the claim in your name.

Best regards,
Barrister Andrew Dames.
+234 803 487 9830

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam