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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.

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:
  • "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.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • +22993222919 (Benin, probably a 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.
  • barirsteralex@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:22:54 +0100
Subject: CONTACT WESTERN UNION FOR YOUR PAYMENT


=C2=A0ATTENTION=C2=A0=20
I write to inform you that we have already sent you USD5,000.00=C2=A0 dol=
lars through Westernunion as we have been given the=C2=A0 mandate to tran=
sferyour full compensation payment total sum of=C2=A0 USD1.500,000.00 via

=C2=A0western union by this,governemnt.I was calling your ,telephone numb=
er to give you the=C2=A0 information through phone but you did not pick u=
p my calls throughout that;yesterday even this morning.Now,I=C2=A0 decide=
d to email you the MTCN and sender name so that you will pickupthis USD5,=
000.00 to enable us send another USD5,000.00 today as youknow , we will b=
e sending you only=C2=A0=C2=A0 USD5,000.00, per day.

Please pick up this information and run to western union to pick up the U=
SD5,000.00 and=C2=A0 call me back to send you another=C2=A0 payment today=
, Hon; JOSEPH BEN Western Union Department Director General Benin Rep;,Mo=
bile: +229 93222919 E-mail: (western.unionmoney20@live.fr)call or email m=
e once you picked upthis USD5,000.00 today.Here is the ,,western union in=
formation to pick upthe , USD5000.00;

Sender Name =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3DMARCEL FRANCK
=C2=A0MTCN :=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D7641718934
Text=C2=A0 Question:............HONES
=C2=A0Answer...................... TRUST

Amount:....................USD 5,000.00=C2=A0=C2=A0 I am,waiting for your=
call once you pick up=C2=A0 this USD5,000..00, Please=C2=A0 email me your=
, direct telephone number because I need ,to be calling you oncewe send =
any payment for the informations. contact me with my=C2=A0 private email;=
( BARIRSTERALEX@GMAIL.COM ) expectingyour reply.
Thanks
BARIRSTER ALEX

=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam