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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Idris Lawal" <idris3lawal@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: idrislawal11@googlemail.com
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:25:33 -0700
Subject: Please Do Reply,I really Need Your Help


This letter may come to you as a surprise,
Please of do note that this is not a scam.As I do not beleive in such
act.All you need to know i will tell you.
I am Dr.Idris Lawal a top Government Official with a statutory Corporation
and member of an ad-hoc committee set up by the Federal Government of
Nigeria to review contract awarded by the immediate past administration. In
the course of scrutiny we discovered that there was a grossly over invoiced
contract amounting to US$41.5M (Forty One Million, Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) already approved for payment in favour of an Eastern
European company that used to act as crony to former Governor of Bayelsa
State (An Oil Rich State from the Southern part of Nigeria), Chief Diepreye
Alamieyeseigha, who has just been imprisoned on a six count charge of 12
years each for corruption. This story can be verified through the following
links thus below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6920561.stm
http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jul/27/399.html
During his trial, all his cronies hurriedly ran out of the country for fear
of being arrested and prosecuted, unknowing to them that the above amount
has being approved by the department of petroleum & Natural Resources.
Having regularized and cleaned the "AUGEAN STABLE" we intend to transfer
this amount of US$41.5M presently floating in our Apex Vote in for our own
benefit and advantage.
Bear in mind that no risk is attached to this project and all logistic are
in place and modalities.
We have decided to compensate you with 20% of the total sum for your
support, 70% for us, while 10% for miscellaneous expenses (Local and
International). Please do provide me with your confidential phone number to
enable me contact you for further discussion and clarification on this
matter, in the hope that this proposal will be acceptable to you.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Best Regard,

Dr.Idris Lawal.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam