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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.

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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:
  • ",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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Mena Oldz" <menaoldz6@gmail.com>
Reply-To: m_mo01@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:54:40 +0100
Subject: YOUR UTMOST RESPONSE IS NEEDED.


FROM: MR. MENA OLDZ,
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB).
ACCRA GHANA.

GOOD DAY,


DO NOT BE SURPRISED AT RECEIVING THIS MAIL.I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO HARM
IN TRYING SOMEONE TRUSTWORTHY AT HEART.A NEW RELATIONSHIP WILL GO A LONG WAY
TO HELP ME.

I NEED YOU TO COME AND STAND AS 'NEXT OF KIN' TO A CLIENT LATE MR PHILIP WHO
DIED IN 2003 OF A HEART CONDITION HERE IN GHANA.SOME YEARS AGO,MR. PHILIP
MADE A NUMBERED (OR FIXED) DEPOSIT OF US$18,000,000.00 MILLION IN OUR BANK.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE DID NOT MENTION A NEXT OF KIN IN ANY OF HIS PAPERS WITH US
OR HE IS A CONTRACTOR - TEXACO OIL.SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN NO RESPONSE
TO OUR INTERNATIONAL ADVERTORIALS CALLING FOR ANY RELATIVE TO CONTACT US.

MY DEPARTMENT HAS THE MANDATE TO OVERSEE THE INTERNAL CLEARANCE FOR CLAIMS
SUCH AS THIS AND THE FINAL APPROVAL SIGNATURE FOR PAYMENT IS MINE.YOU HAVE
NO RISK BY LAW, YOU ONLY NEED TO SHOW-UP ONCE BEFORE THE MONEY WILL BE PAID
INTO YOUR ACCOUNT ABROAD.

HOWEVER, PLEASE KNOW THAT THE MONEY WILL BE SHARED BETWEEN US;I WILL TAKE
55% AND YOU: 40% WHILE 5% FOR THE EXPENSE WE MIGHT HAVE INCUR DURING THE
PROCESS OF TRANSFER.THERE ARE REASONS WHY WE NEED TO CLAIM THIS MONEY FAST.I
WILL GIVE YOU MORE COMPREHENSIVE DETAIL WHEN YOU REPLY.

THANK YOU,
MR. MENA OLDZ,.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam