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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "diplomatic immunity"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "chief auditor" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "DR MUSTAFA BELLO" <drmustafabello@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: drmustafabello@webmail.co.za
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:04:08 +0100
Subject: ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY


* *

*FROM THE DESK OF: REGIONAL AUDIT DIRECTOR (CBN)*

*CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA *
*TINUBU-SQUARE LAGOS NIGERIA*



* *
* *
*A**TTENTION: BENEFICIARY*


*I am Dr. Mustafa Bello, a senior staff with the central bank of Nigeria
(CBN). I am writing you this letter because cool penny is better than
millions of dollars. it is better for one to live and die poor honest man
than a rich dishonest one. I and the chief auditor (ca) and the chief
security officer (cso) of our central bank of Nigeria have arranged with an
officer in computer section engineer peter olufemi to bring out part of your
total contractual sum. The reason while we do this it is because according
to information gathered from the central bank of Nigeria. Computer, you have
been waiting for a long time to receive your money without success. *
* *
*As I also found out that you have almost met all the statutory requirements
of the central bank of Nigeria. In respect of your contractual payment, your
problem is that of interest groups. *
* *
*a lot of people are interested in your payment and those people are merely
doing paper works with you are not straight forward also we found out that
some of the officials of the prostates having the intention of extorting
money from you with the pretext of helping you receive your money I can
assure you that this may last for years yet nothing happens if you do not do
away with those officers that you call your partners. and for security
reasons do not tell anybody of this arrangement until you receive cash at
your doorstep in your country. *
* *
*The money is in one security-proof box weighing 40kg. *
* *
*Yesterday we went to four courier companies to make arrangements on how to
ship them by courier to you DHL, EMS, FedEx; they all said that they must
open the box for inspection by the customs before shipment. This is
something we want to avoid because the box was padded with machine. we told
the courier company that the box contains photographic and film materials
and when open will loose its efficacy we did not declare money because
courier does not carry money today a friend of mine who is a diplomat
disclosed to me that there is courier company they use to send diplomatic
materials and information from one country to another. it has diplomatic
immunity and cannot be inspected by any customs anywhere in the world. *
* *
*The name of the courier company is noble diplomatic global services
(NDGS).I will meet them as soon as i have your go ahead order.*
* *
*The diplomat will help me so we do not have any problem. We have concluded
that you must compensate us with anything that comes out from your mind as
soon as receive your money. *
* *
*Please maintain top most secrecy as it may cause a lot of problems if found
out that we are using this way to help you do not ever tell anybody about
this until you have your money. I want to help you because something in me
is telling me that you are a honest person. When you conclude this
transaction and you will do same thing that we make us happy, *
* *
*we will help to ship the final part of your money to you. *
* *
*God be with us as we wait for your urgent reply.*

* *
*Yours faithfully, *
* *
*Dr. Mustafa Bello*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam