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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:
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "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.

Fraud email example:

From: "mrserikasmith40 Gazeta.pl" <mrserikasmith40@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: greenpattersonatmpaycenter@live.com
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 08:48:52 +0100
Subject: Notification of payment by ATM Master Credit Card.


FROM THE DESK OF MRS. ERIKA SMITH.
CHAIRMAN ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION
(EFCC) FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT, NIGERIA PLC,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.
Date:30-06-2008.

Notification of payment by ATM Master Credit Card.

Attn: Dear Beneficiary,

I am Mrs. Erika Smith the acting chairman of ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL
CRIME COMMISSION
(EFCC). 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 LONDON) 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 the United State Government have Order the money
recovered from the
Scammers to be shared among 100 Lucky people around the globe.

This s 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 $1.Million Dollars.Who 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
$1.million we have arranged your payment through our swift card
payment center, Feel free to
contact the processing officer Mr. Green Patterson the swift card has
been specially prepared to
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, processing
officer GREEN PATTERSON email: greenpattersonatmpaycenter@live.com

Provide the information bellow to allow him prepare your card
including your Pin.

1)YOUR FULL NAME.
2)YOUR RECEIVING ADDRESS.
3)YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4)YOUR PROFESSION.
5)YOUR ID/AGE.

Best Regard,
Mrs. Erika Smith.
(Acting Chairman EFCC).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam