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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
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348035615746 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • dr.zackamata2002@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: dr.zackamata2002@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:29:45 +0530 (IST)
Subject: VERY URGENT (FROM DR.ZACK AMATA)


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: dr.zackamata25@yahoo.in



- From the desk of Dr. Zack Amata (b.sc phd; mnie fie) Nigerian national petroleum corporation, Lagos. Alternative email: dr.zackamata2002@hotmail.com Strictly confidential Telephone +234-8035-615-746 Dear Friend. I am sending this letter to you based on information gathered from the foreign trade office in the chamber of commerce and industry; I believe that you would be in a position to help me in my bid to transfer the sum of One hundred and twenty Million United States Dollars Only (US$120m Only) into a foreign account. I am a senior member of the special committee for budgeted and planning of the ministry of petroleum. This committee is principally concerned with contract appraisals and approval of contracts in order of priorities as regards capital project of the federal government of Nigeria. With my position, I have successfully secured for myself the sum of One hundred and twenty Million United States Dollars Only (US$120m Only). This amount was ac!
cumulated through undeclared windfall from sale of crude oil during the gulf war. What I need from you is to provide a safe account into which the funds will be transferred since government officials are not allowed by law to operate foreign account. It has been agreed that the owner of the account will be compensated with ($15.Million USD) of the remitted funds, I kept ($100, 000,000 million USD) while ($5.million GBP) will be set aside to offset expenses and pay necessary taxes. If it may interest you to know, two years ago a similar transaction was carried out with one Mr. Patrice miler, the president of craine international trading corporation at number 135, east 57th street, 28thfloor, new York, 10022 with telephone (212) 308-7788 and telex number 6731689, after the agreement between both partners in which he was to take 5% when the money was duly transferred into his account only to be disappointed on my arrival in new York and we were reliably informed tha!
t Mr. Patrice miller was no longer on that address, while his telepho
ne and telex numbers was allocated to somebody else, that is how I lost us$27.5million to Mr. Patrice miller. This time around I need a more reliable and trust worthy person or a reputable company to do business with hence this letter to you, so if you can prove yourself to be trusted and interested in this deal, then i am prepared to do business with you. What I want from you is the assurance that you will let me have my share when this amount of ($120million USD) is transferred into your account. If this proposal satisfies you, please send me an email in receipt to your response so I can advice you on the modalities of the transaction. 1. Full name............ 2. Country.............. 3. Contact address... .... 4. Telephone number... ....... 5. Marital status......... 6. Occupation............. 7. Company/address.............. 8. Age.................... All modalities of the transf!
er have been worked out and once started will not take more than 14 working days with the absolute support of all concerned. This transaction is 100% risk free. Please treat this as a matter of urgency and very confidential. God be with you as I look forward to your response. Yours faithfully, Dr. Zack Amata

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam