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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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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:

• 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)
  • "a security company " (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. )
  • "million united state 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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • marktata200@yahoo.com.br (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • marktata16@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: marktata16@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:23:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL.


Meu novo endereço de e-mailAgora você pode me contactar através do e-mail: marktata200@yahoo.com.br



- DEAR FRIEND, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN GENUINE APPROVAL CONSIDERING THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER BEFORE, I WISH TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU. I AM MARK TATA, FROM REPUBLIC OF SUDAN EAST AFRICA BUT PRESENTLY I AND MY SISTER WE ARE NOW IN GHANA REFUGEE CAMP. WE ARE MAILING TO INFORM YOU OF OUR DESIRE TO INVEST AND BUY A LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY. I AM THE FIRST SON OF LATE CHIEF AMOS TATA; HE WAS A DIAMOND/GOLD MERCHANT IN OUR COUNTRY. MY FATHER HAD A BULLET SHOT BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING OUT OF MY COUNTRY WITH TWO OF MY YOUNGER SISTER'S DUE TO THE CRISIS THAT OCCURRED IN MY COUNTRY (REPUBLIC OF SUDAN). MY SISTER'S DIED ON THE SPOT WHILE U.N. PEACE KEEPING FORCE RESCUED MY FATHER; HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED. BEFORE HE DIED HE REVEALED TO ME AND MY SISTER ABOUT THE BOX CONTAINING ($40 MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS). WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA FOR SAFE KEEPING. MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE CONTENT OF THE BOX TO THE SECURITY COMPANY THIS IS TO AVOID THE OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYE BROWS TO THE FUNDS. PRESENTLY MYSELF AND MY SISTER ARE HERE IN GHANA TO NOTIFY THE SECURITY HOUSE FOR THE CLAIMS AND WE ARE STAYING IN THE REFUGEE CAMP.THEREFORE, I WANT YOU TO LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY, BECAUSE MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN AFRICA TO AVOID SUSPICIONS AND DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD. FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MYSELF AND MY SISTER HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 25% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE MONEY. WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT AND WHICH WE CAN SEND TO YOU THROUGH FAX ON REQUEST. NOTE: WE HAVE NEVER DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY PERSON APART FROM YOU, SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS A TOP SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE. PLEASE, CONTACT US THROUGH THIS EMAIL ADDRESS (marktata16@gmail.com) WITH YOUR FULL NAME AND YOUR CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER/FAX ON YOUR REPLY FOR MORE DETAILS.BEST REGARDS,MARK TATA.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam