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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "lome togo" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "mohamed_yayadd@yahoo.com" <mohamed_yayabcbtg3@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: mohamed_yaya0111@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 15:09:59 +0200
Subject: From the desk of Mr Mohamed Yaya


*From the desk of Mr Mohamed Yaya
Auditting Department,
Africa Development Bank.
Lome Togo.*
*+228-914 26 95.*

*Dear Friend,

I have a proposal for you - this however is not mandatory nor will I in any
manner compel you to honour against your will. I am 50, and work with a bank
(one of the African leading banks in the West Coast). Here in this bank
existed a dormant account for the past years which belonging Raymond Beck
an american national who is now late When I discovered that there had been
no deposits nor withdrawals from this account for this long period, I
decided to carry out a system investigation and discovered that non of the
family member nor relations of the late person is aware of this account.
This is the story in a nutshell.

Now I want an account overseas where the bank will transfer this
funds.Thereafter, I had planned to destroy all related documents for this
account. It is a careful network and for the past eleven months I have
worked out everything to ensure a hitch-free operation. The amount is not so
much at the moment and plus all the accumulated interest the balance in
this account stands at-(US$ 9.5 million US dollars).nine million five
hundred thousand dollars

Now our questions are:-
1. Can you handle this project?
2. Can I give you this trust?
3. What will be your commission? If you can sponsor this transfer.
4. mail with phone&fax number...........

Consider this and get back at us as soon as possible. Finally, it is our
humble prayer that the information as contained herein be accorded the
necessary attention, urgency as well as the secrecy it deserves. I Expect
your urgent response if you can handle this project.
Respectfully yours,

Mr Mohamed Yaya*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam