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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:

• 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:
  • "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "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)
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (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.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • sarahwilliams1970@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "s. williams" <sarahwilliams@gorod.biz>
Reply-To: sarahwilliams1970@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 02:56:11 -0700
Subject: Attn, Beneficiary


I am Mrs. Hamza Haruna the secretary to the new chairman of ECONOMIC
FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC). in alliance with economic community of
West African states (ECOWAS) with head Office here in Nigeria. We have been
working towards the eradication of fraudsters and scam Artists in Western
part of Africa. With the help of United States Government and the United
Nations We have been able to track down so many of this scam artist in
various parts of west African countries which includes (NIGERIA, REPUBLIC OF
BENIN,TOGO, GHANA CAMEROUN AND SENEGAL) and they are all in our custody here
in Lagos Nigeria. We have been able to recover so much money from these scam
artists.
The United Nation Anti-crime commission and theUnited State Government
(F.B.I) have Order the money recovered from the Scammers to be shared among
100 Lucky people around the globe. This mail is been directed to you because
your email address was found in one of the scam Artists file and computer
hard disk in our custody here in Nigeria. You are therefore be Compensated
with $2Million Dollars. Remember the scam artist always claims that they are
Barristers/Bank Officials Lottery Agents who has money for transfer or want
you to be the next of kin of such funds which do not exist.

Since your name appeared among the beneficiaries who will receive a
compensation of $2million we have arranged your payment through our swift
card payment center, Feel free
to contact Sarah Williams the swift card has been specially prepared it
enable you withdraw your money in any ATM machine in any part of the world,
but the maximum is Five Thousand Dollars Only per day. So you are advice to
contact Ms Sarah Williams sarahwilliams1970@yahoo.co.uk, she will proccess
your payment without any delay, we also advise you to help us fight scammer
in the world by providing us with there informations the method the use to
scam you

Best Regard
Mrs. Hamza Haruna

Sec to the Chairman EFCC

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam