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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)
  • "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 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.
  • george.99@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: George Abufour <george_abufour_001@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: george.99@rediffmail.com
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2008 05:30:27 -0800 (PST)
Subject: CAN WE WORK TOGETHER?


Dear Friend,

Greetings!

Do accept my apologies if my mail does not meet your personal ethics, I want to introduce my self and this business opportunity to you. My name is George Abufour. A bank accountant.

I wish to know if we can work together. I would like you to stand as the next of kin to my deceased client who made some deposits to my bank. He died without any registered next of kin and as such the funds now have an open beneficiary mandate. Fortunately, both of you have the same last name so it will be very easy to make you become his official next of kin.

The amount involved in this is 8.5 million United States dollars.
If you are interested you do let me know so that I can give you comprehensive details on what we are to do. I urgently hope to get your response as soon as possible; please you can get back to through this address george.99@rediffmail.com

Best regards,
George Abufour

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam