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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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• 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.

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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • peter_yusuf@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: peter yusuf <peter_yusuf300@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:02:35 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: VERY VERY URGENT.


=A0
BARCLAYS BANK PLC.=20
KWAME NKRUMAH BRANCH,=20
BARCLAYS HOUSE NKRUMAH AVENUE,=20
KWAME NKRUMAH CIRCLE, ACCRA GHANA.=20
FROM PETER YUSUF,
DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE BANKING=20
BARCLAYS BANK,ACCRA GHANA.=20

DEAR SIR,

I KNOW THIS LETTER WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BUT BELIEVE ME I DEEM YOU=
FIT TO JOIN HANDS WITH ME AND MAXIMISE THIS RARE OFFICE OPPORTUNITY.=20
I HAVE JUST DISCOVERED A DORMANT ACCOUNT IN MY OFFICE AS GROUP FINANCE DIRE=
CTOR AUDIT AND PAYMENTS IT, WILL BE IN MY INTEREST TO TRANSFER THIS FUND WO=
RTH $18MILLION U.S.D INTO A SAFE ACCOUNT OFFSHORE,[OUT OF AFRICA], AS THE A=
CCOUNT OWNER IS NOT FROM AFRICA MY PLAN IS TO MAKE YOU A NEXT OF KIN TO THE=
DEAD ACCOUNT, OWNER AND BENEFICIARY.

IF YOU CAN ASSIST IN GETTING THE MONEY TRANSFERRED,PLEASE CONTACT ME DIATEL=
Y.=20
REMEMBER THIS TRANSACTION IS ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENTIAL.I HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO =
ENSURE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS ABSOLUTELY IOO% RISK FREE AND TO BE CONCLUD=
ED WITHIN 7 BANKING DAYS.=20
YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NO,FULL NAMES,ACCOUNT RECEIVING DETAILS,EVEN IF ITS A=
VIRGIN ACCOUNT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR IMMEDIATE CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACT=
ION.=20
FULL DETAILS OF WHAT REALLY LED TO THIS DORMANT ACCOUNT WILL BE COMMUNICATE=
D TO YOU WITH PROOFS OF RECORDS WHEN I RECEIVE YOUR EXPRESS REPLY.=20


MY MOST SINCERE REGARDS,=20
PETER YUSUF,
GET BACK TO ME THROUGH THIS MAIL{peter_yusuf@yahoo.com}=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam