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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. )
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• This email message is a next of kin 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.
  • fknesq05@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: fknesq@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:22:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: I present to you an urgent and confidential request,


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: fknesq05@yahoo.com



- Dear Sir, I feel quite safe dealing with you in this urgent and confidential request having gone through your remarkable profile on the internet. My name is Frank Kofi Nartey Esq., a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana and an Associate of Hesse & Hesse Commercial Law Firm in Accra-Ghana. A German client of mine (Mr. Alexander Lenzen) who lived here in Ghana with his family, a successful businessman who had financial dealings with many top Politicians in the West African sub-region died accidentally two years ago with my Wife and only Son. Unfortunately, he did not registered any specific beneficiary to a cash deposit of USD$32M he made with a Security Company. Since this incident, I have made several enquiries to locate any of my late client's relatives to come up for the claim of the said deposit but this has proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives on the Internet to no avail. Thus, I am requesting your assistance to stand as the deceased rightful beneficiary so as to enable us retrieve the deposited funds from the Safe-Keeping Company for both of us to share at the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you since the deposit now has an open beneficiary mandate. Be rest assured that this business is 100% risk free as all procedures will be legally handled by me. I shall provide all the necessary legal documents that will give you the full legal right to stand for the claim. Your assistance demands the highest trust, security and confidentiality. If you are capable of executing this business with me, kindly get back to me in complete confidence and I shall detail you on the way forward. Yours sincerely, Frank K. Nartey Esq. Supreme Court Solicitor & Ass, Hesse & Hesse Law Firm, No. F459 / 4 Nyaniba Estates, Osu P.O. Box 0514 Osu, Accra - Ghana. Tel: +233-20-677-7925 (Time Zone-GMT).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam