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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
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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:
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "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)
  • "confidentiality of this transaction" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +2348027598043 (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.
  • musajoseph@takemail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. MUSA JOSEPH" <musajoseph@ny.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: musajoseph@myway.com
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 14:13:27 -0800
Subject: PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY

FROM: MR. MUSA JOSEPH
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR;
PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY
TEL: +234-802-759-8043.

Send Your Reply To: musajoseph@takemail.com

My Dear Friend,

I feel quite safe dealing with you in this mutual beneficial

transaction. Though, this medium (Internet) has been greatly abused, I

choose to reach you through it because it still remains the fastest,

surest and most secured medium of communication. However, this

correspondence is purely private, and it should be treated as such. I

also guarantee you that this deal is hitch free from all what you may

think of. I am Mr. Musa Joseph, Executive Director incharge of Claims

and Indemnity of PRUDENTIAL Insurance Company. I am contacting you

based on Trust and confidentiality that will be attached to this deal

for the benefit of both of us.

The Management and the Legal / Treasury Department of this PRUDENTIAL

Insurance Company in a recent meeting, recommended that the account of

MR. ROBERT FINKELSTEIN, who maintained a Life Assurance Policy, should

be declared Dormant and confisticated hence moving his unclaimed

benefits funds to the Treasury according to our Banking and Financial

law. Recently, I came across a very huge sum of money belonging to a

deceased person (MR. ROBERT FINKELSTEIN). He is foreigner,

unfortunately He is now late as he was amongst those that was Killed

in the recent plane crash during his visit to London, as you can

confirm through this website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

This man was our client and has a Life Assurance Policy WORTH the sum

of Two Hundred and Fifty Million United States Dollars

(US$250,000,000.00). Right now, the fund is lying unclaimed in our

custody and there is NO next of kin mentioned in his file and there is

NO HOW we can reach any of his other relatives. All efforts made by us

to establish contacts with any other of his relation has proved

abortive and unsuccessful. His Life Assurance Policy will expire in

the next few months from the date of this letter. Just last week we

received an instruction from Ministry of Social Welfare to forward

particulars of all unclaimed benefits that will expire in the next few

months. Upon my personal finding on this matter, I kept this

information secret to myself until now that I am contacting you. In

view of the fact that the deceased customer is a foreigner (from a

different country), it is Officially important for the involvement of

a foreigner who will pose as a next-of-kin.

I will use my exalted position in this Insurance Company to present

you as his Next of Kin as you can be his relative, friend or Cousin

and the Money (US$250Million) will be Safely transfered into your own

bank account in your country. Please include your telephone/fax

number/ Home Address when replying this mail and I will give you more

information as soon as you indicate your willingness to assist in this

viable transaction.I will use my exalted position here to get all

internal documentations to back up the claims. The whole Procedures

will last only 5 working days to get the fund retrieved successfully

Without trace even in future. Please I need the following:

1. YOUR FULL NAME
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
3. HOME ADDRESS/COMPANY'S NAME AND ADDRESS.
4. YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION

The transaction will be done successfully and smoothly completed via

email and telephone. You don't need to come to my country. Send your

full name, address and telephone number to me via email urgently today

so that I will call you for discussions. I PROMISE that you must be

happy and shall rejoice greatly soonest for cooperation with me in

this transaction. After successful conclussion of this transaction, we

shall share the money 50-50 (50% for you and 50% for me).

I await your good response today. Thanks and remain blessed. I require

you to maintain the confidentiality of this transaction because it is

important due to the fact that I am still in active services to the

PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY. Your earliest response to this matter is

very important.

I AM WAITING YOUR REPLY TODAY.

Kind Regards,

Mr. Musa Joseph
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam