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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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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:
  • "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +2348033925612 (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.
  • drshegunadams01@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: DR SHEGUN ADAMS <drshegunadams_01@msn.com>
Reply-To: <drshegunadams01@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 13:45:03 +0000
Subject: PAYMENT COMPENSATION





This is Yusuf Ali, I'm happy to inform you about my success in transferring the fund to a Swiss Account with the cooperation of a new partner who is an International Businessman.
Presently I will be traveling to Paraguary tomorrow to meet my new partner for investment projects with my own share of the total sum.
Meanwhile, I did not forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in receiving fund despite that it failed somehow due to hitches here and there.
You are to contact my Personal Assistant on the following information below:

Name: Dr Shegun Adams
Email: drshegunadams01@gmail.com
Telephone number: 234-8033-925-612
Ask him to send you the sum of US$450,000.00 (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) Certified Bank Draft which I left with him to despatch to you for your compensation once you contacted him for the past efforts to assist in the transaction.Infact,I appreciated your efforts at that time very much.Please do let me know immediately you receive the amount.Please accept it with all your heart despite the fact that it is not what you are surposed to have gotten from the whole transaction if everything had worked out as planned with you.
Finally,you are to get in touch with him at the receipt of this mail as a matter of urgency.
Best regards,
Senator.Yusuf Ali

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam