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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "million united states 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +447035902944 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Tony Adams <katt2_007@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <pin0@myway.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 12:07:03 +0200
Subject: Get back to me





Thanks for giving me your time. I am Tony Adams, a consulting auditor attached with a private Banking Services in London - UK. I am contacting you concerning a customer of our bank who had an investment placed under the bank's management 3 years ago valued at 14.2 Million United States Dollars which he wished to have us turn over on his behalf.In August 2004, he asked that the money be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments. He directed that I liquidate the funds and had it deposited with HANDELSBANKEN, a top Swedish bank but due to the complexities of the task he was asking of us, he later instructed the transfer to be stopped and told me he would use the money upon his arrival from the States. This was the last communication we had since then. The bank has launched an investigation to know his whereabout but to no avail. In his bio-data form, he listed no next of kin this is because in the field of private banking, opening an account means no one will know of its existence, accounts are rarely held under a name. Depositors use numbers and codes to make the accounts anonymous.As things stands now, there is 18.5 Million USD as value for his investment and the bank has no single idea of the history or nature of the deposit. They are simply awaiting for instructions to release the deposit to any party that comes forward. This bank has spent great amount of money trying to track the man's family and have investigated for months but found no known relative. After going through your profile, I decided to contact and place you in a position and instruct the bank to release the deposit to you as the closest relation. Upon receipt of the deposit, I am prepared to share the money with you and no more. That is, we share the proceeds 85% for me and 15% for you. All the expenses to ensure a smooth and successful transfer of the fund to your account will come from my side. I only need your full co-operation and to be following my instructions strictly. Get back to me with the following to enable us proceed accordingly: (1) Your correct bank account information for the transfer. (2) Your direct telephone numbers where you can easily be reached to enable me contact you for us to have a heart to heart conversation. (3) I want you to re-assure me that you will never let me down either now or in future.Hope to hear from you.Tony Adams+44-703-590-2944
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam