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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states dollars" (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 next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • monti_williams2007@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Monti Williams <monti.will4@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <monti_williams2007@yahoo.fr>
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:44:51 -0400
Subject: A LIFE TIME OPPORTUNITY !!!










Mr. Monti Williams

Absa Bank Of South Africa


Absa Building,
Pretorius and Van der Walt Streets,


P.O. Box 3915 Pretoria 0001


South Africa.





Dear Beloved Friend,


I know that this message may come to you as a surprise since we do not know each other before, but for purpose of introduction, I am Mr. Monti Williams, an Auditor in ABSA BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA. During my auditing account for year ending 2006, I discovered that there is an account opened in this bank in 1980 and since 1998 no transaction been on this account. No one has operated on the account either and this took my concern to carry a private investigation on this account. After going through some old files in the record, I discovered that the owner of this account is Mr. Andrea Smith, a foreigner, and a miner at Kruger Gold Co, my personal research with the Home Affairs in Pretoria proved that Mr. Andrea Smith died since1997 and it's suprising that no other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it, as the account has no record of a beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that his Company does not know anything about this account and the amount involved is Twenty Five Million United States dollars (USD$25 Million). I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved to a local bank here, but can only be approved to any foreign account because the account is a dollar account. I need your full co-operation to make this work, because the management is ready to approve the transfer of this money to any foreigner who has correct information of this account, which I will give to you later.


WHY I CONTACTED YOU


I need you to stand as the beneficiary of this account. I shall send you a copy of an application letter which you will have to send to the bank requesting for the update of the account with your details as the rightful beneficiary and requesting for an onward remittance of the fund or a part of the fund to an oversea account which you shall supply the bank. My duty is to effect the recocilliation of the account upon your formal application, update and subsequent approvals required by the bank in regard to your application / demand. I will handle and secure our secret within the bank and other relevant authorities.


Please send your reply to: monti_williams2007@yahoo.fr


Reply urgently and let me know if you are ok with this proposal and tell me how you consider so that I will inform you the next step to take immediately. Send also your private telephone and fax numbers including the full details of the account to be used for the deposit.

At the conclusion of this business, you will get 30% of the total amount, 70% will be for me and my colleagues at work.


Forward the following details below so that we can proceed.

1. Full Names:
2. Full Address:
3. Private telephone and Fax number for easy communication:
4. Age:
5. Occupation:

I look forward to your earliest reply.








PLEASE REPLY URGENTLYYours faithfully.Mr. Monti Williams (MW)

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam