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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:53:33 -0800
Subject: ****SPAM(5.5)**** INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS co WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER


Spam detection software, running on the system "www.telnorm.com.mx", 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
postmaster for details.

Content preview: ATTN:BENEFICIARY, There is an issue with the WESTERN UN=
ION
MONEY TRANSFER in the amount of usd5,000,000.00 USD directed in cash c=
redited
to file KTU/9023118308/05, at the owner of this email address. The INT=
ERNATIONAL
MONETARY FUND contacted us for your compensation a couple of hours ago=
due
to your allocated security code. They said that they choose to send it=
to
an email address instead of a name.We are unable to complete a transfe=
r directed
at an email address, so we require some more information in order to c=
omplete
this transfer. [...]=20

Content analysis details: (5.5 points, 5.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- ---------------------------------------------=
-----
0.1 RDNS_NONE Delivered to trusted network by a host with n=
o rDNS
1.0 US_DOLLARS_3 BODY: Mentions millions of $ ($NN,NNN,NNN.NN)
0.0 BAYES_50 BODY: Bayesian spam probability is 40 to 60%
[score: 0.5979]
1.3 MSOE_MID_WRONG_CASE MSOE_MID_WRONG_CASE
3.0 FORGED_MUA_OUTLOOK Forged mail pretending to be from MS Outlook
0.1 AWL AWL: From: address is in the auto white-list

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam