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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • "million 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)
  • "is 100% risk-free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "the help of diplomats" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • jimdave@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "jim dave" <jim_dave@email.bg>
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:52:17 +0200
Subject: Urgent Response Needed.




FROM THE DESK OFMR JIM DAVE.BANK OF AFRICA PLC.(BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL
SETTLEMENT)HEADQUARTERS COMPLEX25 MARINA STREET,AJAWUGA, COTONOU,BENIN
REPUBLIC.




Dear Partner,




My Name is MR JIM DAVE.I am the head of Operations Bank of Africa Plc.
Sometime in 1997,&nbsp; I met Mr. Witts Smith in America. He was a Ship
captain.We became intimate more when he realized my profession, there and
then, he informed me about the consignment. However, I did not take it so
serious not until he brought the box to my office.I assisted him in depositing
the treasure and CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT issued to him. However, he saw me as
someone trustworthy and decided to hand-over the document to me for
safe-keeping. He left back to his country, though he is always on the Sea
being a Sailor.




All our correspondence was through telephone. Our discussion stopped since
last year when I called his telephone number, and behold someone else had
bought over the telephone. The new subscriber told me that Mr. Witts Smith
died alongside his wife and only two children at the World Trade Centre during
the BIN-LADEN bomb blast in America. This news shocked me so much that
Mr.Witts Smith did not leave any of his contact address or next of kin and
since then all plans to trace any of his relatives proved abortive. Honestly,
I became confused, and resorted to informing my colleague in the office, who
suggested that we should open the box a little to know the content proper.




The box was carefully opened and GUESS WHAT? BILLS OF ONE HUNDRED UNITED STATE
DOLLARS, denomination carefully defaced. I and my colleague agreed and
secretly took the box out from the bank and deposited it with a security
company here. We have concluded plans to invest the money totalling eleven
million united state dollars $11m (USD) out of Cotonou, Republic of Benin and
require an assistance from a would-be trustworthy oversea partner who will
help us receive the money overseas.




If you can assist us, we can arrange and bring the money to your country by
the help of Diplomats, for investment. I and my colleague has agreed to give
you 30% of the total sum. Be rest assured that the transaction is 100%
risk-free and your urgent response is highly needed.




So we cannot look for another person.Contact me on my private email
address:(jimdave@myway.com).




Best regards,




Mr Jim Dave.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam