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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:
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • +447031843450 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mahoney Laurie" <sspltd013@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mahoney_laurie@walla.com
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 20:28:52 +0000
Subject: HSBC BANK (UK) UNCLAIMED DEPOSIT

Mr. Mahoney Laurie
Vice President, Custody and Clearing
HSBC Bank plc
8 Canada Square, Level 24
London E14 5HQ
Direct Line: +44 703 184 3450 ( Private)

Dear Partner,

Through some discreet search from my local chambers of commerce, you
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 High 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.

We now seek your understanding to have you stand as the
Beneficiary/Next of Kin to the deceased person. 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.

In order to get the process started, I would require that you contact
me
immediately via this email or Telephone/Fax numbers as given above with
all
necessary contact information of yourself.

I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not
disappoint
me.

Yours Sincerely,
Mr. Mahoney Laurie

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 like Steven Percival.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam