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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:

• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "is 100% risk-free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • femi_martins7@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Femi Martins <femi@femimartins5.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:23:23 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Response Needed


MR FEMI MARTINS
EMAIL: femi_martins7@yahoo.es
Mobile + 234 8032523532
Dear Friend,
First,I must solicit your confidence in this Transaction,this is by virture of its nature as being CONFIDENTIAL and TOP SECRET. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive but I am assuring that all will be well at the end of the day,I am Mr.Femi Martins,a senior accountant with one of the big financial firm here in Lagos Nigeria.
On the December 26th 2003, my client (Engr.Mark Hornstein)and his entire family died in a plane crash in cotonou, Benin Republic.You will read more stories about the crash on visiting this website:
www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/
Unfortunately, my client and the family lost their lives in that disaster that needed not to have happened. Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track any trust and honest person that can stand as the next of kin and have his remaining transfered to him/her After which we can then discuss on the sharing ratio in favour of the both of us ,Before his death and uptil date i was his account officer.
My purpose of contacting you is to assist in repatriating the fund left behind by my client prior to his death before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by my bank,where this huge deposit were lodged in, where the deceased had an account valued at about US$10.4 million.The company had issued me a notice to provide the next of kin,As the account officer or have the account confiscated within the next 25 official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over one year, now I seek your consent as the next of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$10.4 million can be paid to you. All documents to enable you get this fund will be carefully worked out.
This proposal is 100% risk-free and also a legal one. We have agreed that the fund be shared thus,after it must have been transferred into your account.
IF YOU ARE VERY MUCH READY TO PROCEED WITH ME THEN CONTACT ME ON MY PERSONAL/CONFIDENTIAL EMAIL ADDRESS:
EMAIL: femi_martins7@yahoo.es
Best regards,
Mr Femi Martins

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam