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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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.

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)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• 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.
  • w.ngozi@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "David Amah" <ddamah13@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:00:44 -0700
Subject: Thanks for your assistance


DEAR FRIEND,


COMPLIMENTS OF THE DAY AND GOD'S BLESSINGS. I AM GLAD TO INFORM YOU THAT I
HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED THE TRANSACTION, THE MONEY TRANSFERRED TO THE
ACCOUNT. IT WAS DONE THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
MAN YOU INTRODUCED ME TO. CURRENTLY I AM IN MALAYSIA WITH HIM AND MY WIFE
AND CHILDREN.


HOWEVER, I DID NOT FORGET YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE THE SOURCE OF MY SUCCESS. YOU
MADE ME WHAT I AM NOW THOUGH YOU WERE NOT THERE TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT
WITH ME BUT I GAVE ALL THE CREDIT TO YOU. I KNOW IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT OR
RATHER YOUR WISH TO BACK UP ON ME AND THE TRANSACTION. I UNDERSTAND IT IS
SIMPLY BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU MUST HAVE HEARD ABOUT MY COUNTRY AND HER BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITIES. ACTUALLY THERE ARE STILL GOOD ONES FOR EXAMPLE MYSELF.


IN APPRECIATION OF YOUR ASSISTANCE, I HAVE MAPPED OUT AS A COMPENSATION A
DRAFT WORTH OF (ONE MILLION,FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS
ONLY) I LEFT THE DRAFT WITH MY PERSONEL ASSISTANT, MRS. NGOZI WILLIAMS ON MY
DEPARTURE TO MALAYSIA. I WOULD LIKE YOU, TO CONTACT HER ON THE INFO BELOW SO
THAT SHE CAN MAIL THE DRAFT TO YOU.


Name: MRS. NGOZI WILLIAMS

EMAIL: w.ngozi@yahoo.com


I WILL STOP HERE. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND REMAIN BLESSED.


REGARDS,


MR.DAVID AMAH

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam