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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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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:
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • vntextiles@i12.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Isa Shaba" <isa.1shabalala12@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:28:56 -0700
Subject: Your Inheritance Claim!!!


Hello,
My name is Isa and I am sending this urgent message to you because I saw
this email address in the late Mr. Fadel Mohammed's diary while I was trying
to reach any of his relatives or next of kin precisely. In case you do not
know, Mr. Mohammed was struck by a stray bullet during a hunting exercise 18
months ago in Mpumalanga near Johannesburg, South Africa and has since been
buried.

Since the last 12 years that I have been in charge of his domestic affairs,
he has never mentioned anything regarding his family to me, for all I know
about his background is that he was of Iraqi nationality. I do not know if
you are related to him or partners in business. But at this very moment, I
need someone whom I can guide to obtain his Death Certificate from the
concerned department as his next of kin in order to receive his estate of
over US$17M as inheritance payment according to his account officer in the
bank. The account officer has said that the beneficiary in this case must
present the certificate to the bank before the release of the inheritance
funds, which I can be of help if you want.

Urgently reply via my below personal email for these funds to be paid out in
your favor. Whatever you feel you can compensate me with for my effort, I
will be thankful.

Regards,
Isa Shaba.
vntextiles@i12.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam