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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• 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:
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +34651652086 (Spain, 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.
  • philip-wil@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: philip-williams <philip-wil@mixmail.com>
Reply-To: philip-wil@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:35:30 +0100
Subject: READ THIS PLS.


FROM: PHILIP WILLIAMS
PHONE: +34 651 652 086
E-MAIL:Philip-wil@hotmail.com
MADRID - SPAIN
28TH MARCH 2008 =


ATTN:
Dear Sir,

URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED
You may be surprised to receive this mail from me since you do not know me =
personally. However, I would like to introduce myself. I am Mr. Philip =
Williams, the son of Dr. Stephen Williams who was murdered in Zimbabwe as a =
result of land disputes.
Before the death of my father (Dr. Williams), he had taken to Madrid and =
deposited the sum of twenty-one million five hundred thousand United States =
dollars (US$21,500,000) in a Security Company, as he foresaw the looming =
danger in Zimbabwe. The money in question was deposited as gemstones to avoid =
much enquiry. The proposed amount was meant for the purchase of new machines =
and chemicals for the farms and establishment of new farms in Swaziland but =
for fear of being seized by President Mugabe, he decided to move it out of =
the country.
As you may be aware this land problem came into force when Zimbabwean =
President Mr. Robert Mugabe introduced the land reform act of which my father =
as a rich farmer and some other white farmers where affected. This resulted =
to the killing and Mob action by the so called Zimbabwean war veterans and =
some lunatics in the society, infact a lot of people were killed because of =
this land reform act of which my dad was one of the victims. After my father =
I became the next target of both the government and the Mob action.
It is against this background that my family decided that I must leave the =
country, and I was sneaked out of Zimbabwe to Spain. The Spanish law =
prohibits a refugee (asylum seeker) to open any account or be involved in any =
financial transaction not to talk of having link to the huge sum. As the =
eldest son of my father, I am saddled with the responsibility of seeking a =
genuine foreign and reliable contact where the money could be transferred =
without the knowledge of the government who are bent on taking everything my =
family have worked for. I am faced with the dilemma of investing this amount =
of money in Spain for the fear of loosing the fund since both Countries have =
cordial relations. This is all that my family has got now to live on and I =
don't intend to jeopardize our future.
As a Partner, whom I will entrust our future in his hand, I must let you know =
that this transaction is risk free and purely legitimate. If you accept to =
assist me and my family, I shall furnish you with the information of an =
Attorney here in Spain who will assist us with the necessary documentation =
nominating you as the beneficiary of the deposit and assist us with the rest =
of the transaction since my status would not permit me have a link with the =
fund. This money you will assist me in investing in a profitable venture =
afterwards.
I and my family are ready to offer you 25% for assisting us in this =
transaction and we have set aside another 5% for any sundry expenses that you =
may incur in the process OR a certain percentage of the profit that will be =
accruing from your investing the fund for us. Choose the option that best =
suit you and we will be happy to work with you.
Please contact me with the e-mail above and below or with this phone number =
+34 651 652 086 . We believe you will not let us down in this time of our =
need. Thanks as I wait to hear from you soonest
Yours faithfully,
PHILIP WILLIAMS.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam