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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:
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million british pounds" (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)
• 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.
  • +447024098294 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Gary Fredricks <mrgary18@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: <mrgary001@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:09:36 +0100
Subject: Gary Fredricks



Gary FredricksHead of Foreign OperationsNatwest Bank Towers,14 Blythewood Glasgow G2 4AQ, United Kingdom.
Dear Friend,
Do accept my sincere apologies if my mail does notmeet your personal ethics.
I will introduce myself as Head of ForeignOperations of a well-known bank here in the United Kingdom.
One of our accounts with holding balance of£15,000,000(Fifteen Million British Pounds) has been dormant and has not been operated for the past 4 years.
From my investigations and confirmations, the owner ofthis account a foreigner by name Gerald Stone died in4th of January 2003 and since then nobody has doneanything as regards the claiming of this money becausehe has no family members who are aware of theexistence of neither the account nor the funds. AlsoInformation from the National Immigration states thathe was also single on entry into the UK.
I have secretly discussed this matter with some of thebank officials and we have agreed to find a reliableforeign partner to deal with. We thus propose to do business with you, standing in as the next of kin of these funds from the deceased and funds released to you after due processes have been followed.
This transaction is totally free of risk and troublesas the fund is a legitimate and does not originatefrom drug, money laundry, terrorism or any otherillegal act. On your interest, let me hear from you.
Regards,Mr. Gary Fredricks.+447024098294
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam