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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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• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. )
  • "huge deposit" (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 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.
  • davekencho1@lex.bg (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: david kencho <dkencho1@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: davekencho1@lex.bg
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:50:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: TO YOUR MUTUAL BENEFITS


Dear Friend,

I am Mr. David Kencho, personal assistant to the C.E.O. of an oil marketing company here in Accra/Ghana. On the 21st of November 2007, my boss an Iraqi citizen was involved in a car accident here in Ghana, and unfortunately lost his lives.

Since then I have made several inquiries to locate any of my boss extended relatives, but this has proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my boss before they get confiscated or declared “unclaimed” by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged, in Accra / Ghana in the deceased account, valued at about US$12.5 million dollars. I have been issued a notice by the bank to provide the next of kin to my late boss or have the account confiscated.

I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you are a foreigner so that the proceeds of this fund can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money on mutual negotiable terms. I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.

You will be required to:
(1) Assist in the transfer of the said sum
(2) Advise on lucrative areas of investment

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

I look forward to your urgent response.

Best regards,
David Kencho
davekencho1@lex.bg


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam