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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.

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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:
  • "a security company " (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "David Spencer" <d_spencer04@mail.mn>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:26:01 +0100
Subject: Hello...


Hello and Compliments of the day to you.

I must solicit your confidentiality and assure you that I am contacting
you in good faith and this proposal that I bring to you will be of
mutual benefit to both you and I. My name is Mr.David Spencer (ESQ) a legal
practitioner here in London and I am privileged to be the Legal
Adviser/Personal Attorney to my late Client,an Australian national.

However, I wish to inform you that my late client died intestate as a
result of a ghastly auto crash in 2006 which involved his entire family,
In the process of review in my search for his relative, I got your
contact information through an international directory, hence I contacted
you so that I can give you further briefing on my intention and how to
disburse the estate left behind by my late client before his death more
especially a huge deposit of Eight Million Great British Pounds
Sterling(£8,000,000) made in a security company here in London in 2004.

I will give you further details on how we shall proceed in disbursing
these funds if you are interested.

I await your urgent response.

Best regards,

David Spencer Esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam