419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Fr. Alfred Moore" <chanesuan@oaep.go.th>
Reply-To: ad6002cd@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2015 15:45:14 +0100
Subject: Subject: Re: YOU WON $1,200,000.00 IN BATTEN FOUNDATION ONLINE
CAMPAIGN.

Subject: Re: YOU WON $1,200,000.00 IN BATTEN FOUNDATION ONLINE CAMPAIGN.

Your email address has won from our "Batten Disease & Control Awareness" online campaign. This campaign is to create awareness of the dangers of "Batten Disease". All the E-mail addresses were selected from a database of internet e-mail users, from which your e-mail address came out as the winning coupon and you won a total of $1,200,214.57 tied to the winner of the campaign.

You will kindly send in your name, contact information and reachable phone number, so I can forward it to our reginal office in Virginia to commence the process of releasing the funds to you. This winning if not claimed, expires on 31st of November, 2015.

Fr. Alfred Moore,

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Byzantine Catholic Church,

138 DEWBAR ROAD,

ELLISTON, VIRGINIA

24087 USA.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam