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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
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • paulbrown_fmwh@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3apaulbrown_fmwh@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "PAUL BROWN" <paulbrown5@ig.com.br>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:11:42 +0200
Subject: MUTUAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL!


MUTUAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL!
FROM: MR.PAUL BROWN.

DEAR FRIEND,

I GUESS THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE I HAD NO PREVIOUS
CORRESPONDENCE WITH YOU. I AM MR.PAUL BROWN, THE CHAIRMAN TENDER BOARD OF
DIRECTORS FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING (FMWH).

I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN THE COURSE OF MY SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE PERSON WITH WHO
TO HANDLE A VERY CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION INVOLVING THE TRANSFER OF FUND
VALUED NINE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY (US$9,000,000.00) TO A SAFE
FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

THE ABOVE FUND IN QUESTION IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ARMS OR DRUGS. IT IS THE
PRODUCT OF OVER INVOICE ON CONTRACT AWARDED IN 2006 BY FMWH, TO FOREIGN
COMPANIES FOR THE SUPPLY OF BUILDING MATERIALS THAT WAS USED FOR PARAKOU
HOUSING ESTATE IN BENIN REPUBLIC. THE CONTRACT HAS LONG BEEN EXECUTED AND
PAYMENT OF THE ACTUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT MADE TO THE FOREIGN CONTRACTORS
LEAVING THE BALANCE OF US$9 MILLION IN A DORMANT ACCOUNT WHICH MY COLLEAGUES
AND I NOW WANT TO TRANSFER OUT OF BENIN INTO A RELIABLE FOREIGN ACCOUNT FOR
OUR PERSONAL USE.

AS CIVIL SERVANTS, WE DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY FOREIGN ACCOUNT MACHINERY TO
SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION. THEREFORE IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO
SOURCE FOR A FOREIGN COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL WITH THE CAPABILITY TO ACT AS THE
ORIGINAL BENEFICIARY OF THE CONTRACT AND THE SAID CONTRACT SUM VALUED US$9
MILLION.

MY DEAR, IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THE PRESIDENT,BONI YAYA HAS ENDORSED THE
BILL PASSED BY THE SENATE AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY THAT ALL FOREIGN CONTRACTORS
OWED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF BENIN SHOULD BE PAID, WE WILL USE THIS
GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE YOU AS ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS TO BE PAID. IF YOU
ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PROPOSAL KINDLY MAIL ME YOUR LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE
ALONG WITH YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR OUR EASY COMMUNICATION,
BUT IF YOU CANNOT FOR ANY REASON HANDLE THIS TRANSACTION, I SHOULD BE
GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN LINK ME TO A RELIABLE AND TRUST WORTHY PERSON IN WHICH
CASE, YOUR INTEREST WILL BE PROPERLY PROTECTED.

I AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE FUND WITH YOU IN THE FOLLOWING
RATIO, 40% TO YOU THE ACCOUNT OWNER, AND 60% TO US. THIS TRANSACTION IS 100%
RISK FREE.

NOTE ALSO THAT THE PARTICULAR NATURE OF YOUR BUSINESS DOES NOT MATTER TO
THIS TRANSACTION AND THIS TRANSACTION IS EXPECTED TO BE CONCLUDED WITHIN 7
WORKING DAYS SINCE ALL LOCAL CONTACTS AND ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN PROPERLY
PERFECTED FOR A SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION. YOU
SHOULD REPLY TO THIS
EMAILADDRESS:paulbrown_fmwh@hotmail.com<EMAILADDRESS%3Apaulbrown_fmwh@hotmail.com>

I AM ANTICIPATING YOUR URGENT REPLY.

BEST REGARDS,

MR.PAUL BROWN.
CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING (FMWH).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam