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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
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• 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:
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "David Roberts" <drdavidroberts009@gmail.com>
Reply-To: drdavid_roberts01@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 21:43:12 +0200
Subject: FROM THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTEANCE DEPARTMENT,


*FROM THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTEANCE DEPARTMENT,
WELLS FARGO BANK,
MAC P642-011,
WA 98037,
LYNNWOOD, USA.*

*ATTENTION:*

*I AM ROBERT DAVID FROM WELLS FARGO BANK USA, I CONTACTED YOU SO THAT WE CAN
WORK TOGETHER AS ONE. FURTHERMORE, I WANT YOU TO RECIEVE THIS FUND INTO YOUR
BANK ACCOUNT OR THROGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER. ONCE THIS FUND IS
TRANSFERED INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, YOU WILL USE IT FOR THE PROPERGATION OF
CHARITY WORK LIKE HELPING THE NEEDY ONES LIKE DEAF PEOPLE AND THE
MOTHERLESS BABIES IN THE WORLD AS MRS ANITA KAKOU INSTRUCTED THE BANK HERE.*

*THEREFORE, THIS IS TO INFORM YOU THAT (MRS ANITA KAKOU) WHO HAD TRANSFERED
HER MONEY ($14.000.000.00USD) INTO OUR BANK (WELLS FARGO BANK) HERE IN USA
THROUGH OUR CORESPONDENCE IN AFRICA (BANK OF AFRICA) AND INSTRUCTED TO
REMITTE THESE FUND INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT OR WESTERN UNION TO ENABLE YOU USE
THE FUND FOR THE PROPERGATION OF CHARITY WORK, HER FELLOW DEAF PEOPLE AND
THE MOTHERLESS BABIES IN THE WORLD AS SHE IS ONE OF THEM.*

*THE BANK NEEDS THE FOLLOWING OF YOUR INFORMATIONS BELOWS:

(1)YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS,
(2)YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS,
(3)THE NAME OF THE RECEIVING BANK AND ADDRESS, WITH TELEPHONE AND FAX
NUMBERS.
(4)YOU SHOULD ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT.*

*ALL THIS INFORMATIONS MENTIONED ABOVE ARE WHAT OUR BANK NEEDS IN OTHER TO
REMITTE/TRANSFER THESE FUNDS INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT WITHOUT TIME
BEING WASTED.YOUR URGENT REPLY WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED SO THAT I CAN BE
ABLE TO PUT A LETTER TO MY BANK.*

*BEST REGARDS,
DR.DAVID ROBERTS.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam