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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "prepared to give you 30% " (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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• 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.
  • lelie658@latinmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: Leslie John <leslie658@latinmail.com>
Reply-To: eslie658@latinmail.com
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 15:18:01 +0100
Subject: A great business proposal


I am Mr. Leslie John, a citizen of the Spain. I am an employee of financial firm in Madrid that helped Mr Howard Duguma a citizen from the republic of Kenya to deposit a huge some of money to the tune of 3 million dollars in Spain..

I controlled a number of private accounts, one of them belongs to Late Mr. Howard Duguma who died in a ghastly motor accident, without him willing the fund to a next of kin as he did not want his Government to know and tax him on the fund.

I will appeal to you to act as the next of kin to the funds so that we may prepare the necessary legal documentation, that would allow the remittance to you legally.

If a claim is not put forward, eventually the funds will become forfeited to the State as there was no known beneficiary name put forward before he died. He was a businessman who made lots of money.

I wish to assure you, that there is no risk involved, since all the necessary documents and paper work establishing the claim will be imputed in the database as an insider and the remittance will be effected within the legality of the law.

I am prepared to give you 30% of the total deposit if you agree to act as beneficiary to the deposit. To proceed, I need you full names and contact information to facilitate the necessary procedures, thereafter we shall employ the services of an attorney to file officially for the claim.

I am anxiously waiting for your prompt response through this email address:

lelie658@latinmail.com

Thanks

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam