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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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• 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)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Barrister Mark Johnson <barrjohnsonmarkk001@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: barristerjohnsonmark33@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:18:11 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Attention: Dear Sir,


FROM: MR.JOHNSON MARK
HEAD OF ARCHIVES /RECONCILIATION
ECOWAS BANK PLC.
VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.

RE: NEXT OF KIN

GOOD DAY,


DO NOT BE SURPRISED FOR RECEIVING THIS MAIL, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO HARM IN TRYING SOMEONE TRUSTWORTHY PERSON THAT HAVE A GOOD HEART. A NEW RELATIONSHIP WILL GO ALONG WAY TO HELP ME TO KNOW 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 LAGOS. SOME YEARS AGO, MR.PHILIP MADE A NUMBERED (OR FIXED) DEPOSIT OF US$15,000,000.00 MILLION IN MY BANK.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE DID NOT MENTION A NEXT OF KIN IN ANY OF HIS PAPERS WITH US OR HE IS A CONTRACTORS - 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 WHICH I WANT YOU TO STAND BECAUSE THERE IS NO RISK BY LAW, YOU ONLY NEED TO SEND APPLICATION FOR THE CLAIM OF THE FUND ONCE BEFORE THE MONEY WILL BE PAID INTO YOUR ACCOUNT ABROAD.

HOWEVER, PLEASE KNOW THAT THE MONEY WILL BE HARED BETWEEN US, I WILL TAKE 50% AND YOU: 45% WHILE 5% FOR THE EXPENSE WE MIGHT HAVE INCURRED 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.JOHNSON MARK

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam