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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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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:
  • "million 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • owe01@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: owen smith <owen.308@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <owe01@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2007 16:46:32 +0200
Subject: Owen Smith



Owen Smith
Industrial Estate
15th Avenue Midrand
South Africa

Attn Sir,

I am Owen Smith a top government official with the Anglo gold Ltd, my responsibilities includes awarding and signing of contracts for the purchases of drilling equipment and raw materials to the Anglo gold Ltd, by companies and government from different parts of the world.

Through over invoiced and bulk purchases that were made on behalf of the Anglo gold Ltd, I have an excess sum of US$5,000.000 (Five Million Dollars), which I now want to transfer to any trustworthy account overseas.

This contract has been executed and full payments have been made to the contractors who executed these contract leaving behind US$5,000.000 (Five Million Dollars), an Over invoice/commission for we the committee members to benefit In view of this, my colleagues have mandated me to look for a foreign partner abroad who will receive these fund on our behalf for mutual benefits which means that you will provide us with any account of your choice we can lodge these fund immediately.

I therefore kindly request that you grant me the consent to present you, or your firm as the foreign beneficiary of this fund, for this money to be transferred into your account any where in the world, even if it is a newly opened account without money in it, this fund could still be transferred into it for safe keeping afterward I will pay a visit to your country for the sharing of the fund, and our onward investment in your country.

I have decided to give you 30%of the total fund for your assistance and 10%have been mapped aside for contingent expenses to be incurred during the process of this transaction. Due to the urgent nature of this transaction you are requested to contact me as soon as possible on my private mail address owe01@hotmail.com.

Best regards,
Owen Smith
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam