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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS. MARY-ANN SIMON"<comwitme@freenet.de>
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:07:31 +0100
Subject: *****SPAM***** DEAR BELOVED BRO IN THE LORD... URGENT REQUEST FROM YOU.


Spam detection software, running on the system "spam1.pem.inap.sea.dotster.net", has
identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message
has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or label
similar future email. If you have any questions, see
the administrator of that system for details.

Content preview: DEAR BELOVED BRO IN THE LORD, IT IS WITH THE EYES FULL OF
TEARS AND THE HEART FILLED WITH SORROWS AND PAINS THAT I WRITE YOU THIS MAIL
FROM MY SICK BED IN A HOSPITAL. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE NEVER MET SUCH A CONDITION
BEFORE. MY NAME IS MRS. MARY-ANN SIMON, WIDOW TO LATE MR.CARLTON C. SIMON
A UNITED STATE CITIZEN, FORMER DIRECTOR/NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PETRONAS
GAS BERHAD (PGB).MALAYSIA. I AM 45 YEARS OLD, SUFFERING FROM CANCER OF THE
BLOOD. [...]

Content analysis details: (15.5 points, 7.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
0.1 RDNS_NONE Delivered to trusted network by a host with no rDNS
1.8 SUBJ_ALL_CAPS Subject is all capitals
1.6 MISSING_HEADERS Missing To: header
0.7 URG_BIZ BODY: Contains urgent matter
1.8 MILLION_USD BODY: Talks about millions of dollars
2.0 ADVANCE_FEE_2 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)
1.9 UPPERCASE_75_100 message body is 75-100% uppercase
1.4 ADVANCE_FEE_3 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)
4.2 FORGED_MUA_OUTLOOK Forged mail pretending to be from MS Outlook



Anti-fraud resources: