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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "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.
  • ss_wong07@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr.Simon Wong <sswong24@myway.com>
Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2007 21:31:58 +0200
Subject: Private and Urgent



MR.SIMON WONG
DAH SING BANK LTD
DES VOEUX RD.BRANCH,
CENTRAL HONG KONG,
HONK KONG.
email: ss_wong07@yahoo.com.hk.

I am Mr.Simon Wong,credit officer of the Dah Sing
Bank Ltd. I have a concealed business suggestion for
you. Before the U.S and Iraqi war,our client
General.Hassan Fawzi who was with the Iraqi forces and
also business man made a numbered fixed deposit for 18
calendar months,with a value of Forty Three Million,
Six Hundred Thousand United State Dollars only in my
branch. Upon maturity several notice was sent to him,
even during the war.Again after the war another
notification was sent and still no response came from
him.We later find out that the General and his family
had been killed during the war in bomb blast that hit
their home.After further investigation it was also
discovered that Gen. Hassan Fawzi did not
declare any next of kin in his official papers
including the paper work of his bank deposit.

And he also confided in me the last time he was at my
office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my
bank.so,Forty Three Million,Six Hundred Thousand
United State Dollars is still lying in my bank and no
one will ever come forward to claim it What bothers me
most is that according to the to the laws of my
country at the expiration three years the funds will
revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if
nobody applies to claim the funds. Against this
backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you
as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to
Gen.Hassan Fawzi so that you will be able to receive
his funds.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE:
I want you to know that I have had everything planned
out so that we shall come out successful. I have
contacted an attorney that will prepare the necessary
document that will back you up as the next of kin to
Gen.Hassan Fawzi,all that is required from you at this
stage is for you to provide me with your full Names
and address so that the attorney can commence his job.
After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney
will also fill in for claims on your behalf and secure
the necessary approval and letter of probate in your
favor for
the move of the funds to an account that will be
provided by you.There is no risk involved at all in
the matter as we are going adopt a legalized method
and the attorney will prepare all the necessary
documents.

Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all
matters concerning this issue. Once the funds have
been transferred to your nominated bank account we
shall share in the ratio of 70% for me,25% for you and
5%for any expenses incurred during the course of this
operation.Should you be interested please send me
your private phone and fax numbers
for easy communication,you can write me via my private
box ss_wong07@yahoo.com.hk and I will provide you with more
details of this operation.

Your earliest response to this letter will be
appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Mr.Simon Wong.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam