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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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.
  • +447040101546 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "steven percival" <stevenpercival111@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 04:38:31 +0000
Subject: From Mr. Steven Percival

 

Mr. Steven Percival
Vice President, Custody and Clearing
HSBC Bank plc
8 Canada Square, Level 24
London E14 5HQ
Tel: +44 704 010 1546
 
Dear Sir/Madam,
 
Through some discreet search from my local chambers of commerce, you and your  organization were revealed as being quite astute in Entrepreneurship. One has no doubt in  your ability to handle an international business of considerable TRUST, which may form  the bedrock of an extensive business partnership in the future.
Proposition:
Presently in my bank here in the United Kingdom we have an estate,which has remained unclaimed since 1999. And the estate will be converted to UNCLAIMED  DEPOSIT and therefore forfeited if nobody comes forward to lay claim to the deposit  before the end of this financial quarter, as is the practice and also indicated in the EU  banking guidelines.
It may interest you to know that we have secured from the probate registry of the  Supreme Court an order of mandamus to locate and transfer the rights and privileges of  the Estate to any of the account's beneficiaries. This is why I am contacting you.
I now seek your understanding to have you stand as the Beneficiary/Next of Kin to the deceased Do not be bothered as we will carefully and  legally work out all necessary documents in your favor as the new  Beneficiary/Next-of-Kin to the Estate.
I want to count on you as a person of respect and honest disposition and hope that you  will handle this transaction with all maturity and confidentiality it deserves.
Please send me your full details which includes your full names and address and your direct mobile phone number to enable me call you up. I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint me.
 
Yours Sincerely,
 
Mr. Steven Percival
 
NOTE: If however, you are not disposed to assist, kindly delete/destroy this email in view of the confidentiality of the proposed transaction and interest of personalities involved.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam