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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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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.

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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "required fee " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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: "hamed musa" <hamed19musa@googlemail.com>
Reply-To: hamedmusa@gawab.com
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:51:56 +0100
Subject: SOONEST RESPONSE NEEDED!!!


Dear sir/madam

My Name is Mr.Hamed Musa and am a Remittance officer with CENTRAL BANK OF
NIGERIA and i understand you
are expecting your delayed fund to be wired to you but some top government
officials and bank partners
will not tell you the truth about the whereabouts of your fund and all they
are doing is to tell me to divert
the fund to another bank in Germany because they feel you refused to come up
with the required fee but I will
not do that based on my conscience and that is why I have contacted you to
let you know because i know you
have gone far in trying to get this fund back.

I will be ready to help you get your fund but you have to help me KEEP A
SECRET to enable me, help in delivering
your fund as the Remittance officer.YOU BETTER BELIVE ME OR FORGET
CONTACTING ME AGAIN but,i know that
they will never tell you the truth. Get back to me and i will tell you the
possible way to get your fund delivered
to you without the consent of anyone because i know you will reward me after
all.

I will expect your prompt response.

Regards.
Mr.Hamed Musa
Remittance officer
CBN BANK.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam