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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:

• 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)
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" 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.
  • +22993790300 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • kelvinsadoul115@yahoo.dk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: williamben1000@zipmail.com.br
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:23:53 +0200
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Dear=20Friend=2C?=

Dear Friend,

I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting the funds transferre
dunder the cooperation of a new partner from Paraguay. Presently I'm in
France for investment projects with my own share of the total sum. Meanwhile,
I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring
the funds despite that it failed us some how. I know it was not your intention
to back out but circumstances made that possible.

Now contact my secretary, his name is kelvinsadoul. You can contact him
on his email address:

kelvinsadoul115@yahoo.dk and phone 00229 9379 0300 and ask him to send you
a total sum of $1,500,000.00 which I kept for you as compensation for all
the past efforts and attempts to assist me in this matter. I appreciated
your
efforts at that time very much. So feel free and get in touch with my secretary
and instruct him where to send the amount to you. Also note that I have
paid for the mailing cost, the clearance certificate and insurance premium.


It will interest you to note that I have paid every fee and charges including
the mailing fee and Clearance Certificate fee.Your only financial obligation
is
the security keeping fee of $105.00 which the security compny refused to
collect from me insisting that they do not know when you will contact them
as same is charged according to time spent. Do not allow anybody to deceive
you or lure you into paying another money please.

Please do let me know immediately you receive the draft so that we can share
the joy after all the pressure at that time. In the moment, I am very busy
here because of the investment projects which my new partner and I are having
at hand.

Finally, remember that I have forwarded instructions to my secretary on
your behalf to ensure that the cheque is mailes to you without hinderanceas
soon as you have paid this security keeping fee to the security compny.


Therefore, feel free to get in touch with kelvinsadoul, he will Pursue the
sending of the cheque to you without any delay.DO NOT PAY ANY OTHER FEE
EXCEPT THE SECURITY KEEPING FEE OF $105.00.

With Best Regards,

Mr.Kelvin Sadoul.
Your Friend and Partner.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam