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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:

• 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:
  • "cotonou" (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.
  • +2299389514587 (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.
  • josephayeh123@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:47:55 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: URGENT REPLY


Spam detection software, running on the system "geezemail.com", 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
the administrator of that system for details.

Content preview: FINANCIAL BANK BENIN COTONOU REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN PLOT 14 CARRE
589 MISSEBO TEL: +229 93 89 51 4587 FAX: +229 23 33 21 324 EMAIL: josephayeh123@yahoo.fr,
,ATTEN: DEAR TRUSTING FRIEND, I honestly apologize and hope I do not cause
you much embarrassment by contacting you through this means for a transaction
of this magnitude. This message could be strange but it's real if you pay
some attention to it, Due to the confidentiality and prompt access reposed
on this medium, it became necessary for me to seek your assistance and it
is imperative for me to know your opinion. [...]

Content analysis details: (18.0 points, 5.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
-1.4 ALL_TRUSTED Passed through trusted hosts only via SMTP
2.6 TVD_PH_SUBJ_URGENT TVD_PH_SUBJ_URGENT
2.3 SUBJ_ALL_CAPS Subject is all capitals
2.4 URG_BIZ BODY: Contains urgent matter
2.4 NA_DOLLARS BODY: Talks about a million North American dollars
2.3 US_DOLLARS_3 BODY: Mentions millions of $ ($NN,NNN,NNN.NN)
0.0 HTML_MESSAGE BODY: HTML included in message
2.3 MIME_HTML_ONLY BODY: Message only has text/html MIME parts
2.6 ADVANCE_FEE_2 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)
2.4 ADVANCE_FEE_3 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)
0.0 ADVANCE_FEE_4 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam