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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
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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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i feel quite safe dealing with you in this important business" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.MERGER BROWN" <merger_brown14@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mrmergerbrown@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2006 16:03:58 +0530
Subject: {URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL}

FROM:MR.MERGER BROWN.
GROUP AUDIT FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DIVISION
ALPHA BANK LONDON
66 Cannon Street, London EC4N.

DEAR SIR,

RE:TRANSFER OF 152,000,000.00 MILLION POUNDS TO YOUR ACCOUNT. I feel quite
safe dealing with you in this important business.Though, this medium
(Internet) has been greatly abused, I choose to reach you through it
because it still remains the fastest medium of communication. However, this
correspondence is
unofficial and private, and it should be treated as such.At first I will
like to assure you that this transaction is 100% risk and trouble free to
both parties.

IN ORDER TO TRANSFER OUT (ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO MILLION POUNDS
STERLINGS) FROM OUR BANK HERE IN LONDON. THE FUND FOR TRANSFER IS OF CLEAN
ORIGIN. THE OWNER OF THIS ACCOUNT IS A FOREIGNER, a program leader who was
believed to acquire the fund through his secret Crude Oil deal with the
Former IRAQI
Government.The deceased died with all the members of his family in an
auto-accident in JUNE 23, 1999 without a WILL. The amount involved is
[152,000,000.00
POUNDS STERLINGS].

I WANT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY INTO A SAFE FOREIGN ACCOUNT ABROAD BUT I DON'T
KNOW ANY FOREIGNER WHOM I CAN TRUST, I KNOW THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO
YOU AS A SURPRISE AS WE DON'T KNOW OURSELVES BEFORE, BUT BE SURE THAT IT IS
REAL AND A GENUINE BUSINESS. I CONTACT YOU BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL NOT LET
ME DOWN ONCE THE FUND GOES INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

Let me hear from you urgently by Email.You can also
fax or call me for more detail.

Regards,
MR.MERGER BROWN.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam