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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
  (+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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million pounds" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.George Melvin " <gtmail914@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: gtmail99@sify.com
Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 12:07:15 +0200
Subject: Hello Dear


*

Hello Dear*,

This is a proposal in context but actually an appeal soliciting for
your unreserved assistance in consummating an urgent transaction
requiring maximum confidence. Though this approach appears desperate,
I can assure you that whatever questions you would need to ask or any
other thing you will need to know regarding this proposal will be
adequately answered to give you a clearer understanding of it, so as
to arrive at a successful conclusion.
My name is *Mr.George Melvin*, Head of Securities, Barclays bank PLc London.
A foreign Client and Former Prime Minister of Lebannon, Mr. Rafik
Hariri, made several secret (fixed) Deposits for twelve calendar
months, valued at 17,000,000.00, (seventeen Million Pounds Sterling) in my
branch. Upon maturity, the said funds could not be rolled over simply
because he died in a car bomb, No one expect the accounts officer and I know
about this transaction
as he did not include anyone as his spouse or next of kin in his
portfolio. Due to the funds being temporarily unclaimable, the funds
have being moved out of our bank (as sundry funds )to an offshore
Deposit Company here in Europe.
>From past experiences, I know that no one will ever come forward to
claim the deceased funds. According to English laws, at the expiration
of 5 (five) years, the funds will be Unclaimable. In order to avert
this negative development, my colleague (the accounts Officer in the
bank) and I do seek your permission to allow his attorney do a CHANGE
OF OWNERSHIP/REASSIGNMENT OF CREDIT of stated funds from
the 'deceased' to your name, so that the funds (seventeen Million Pounds)
would be released to you as the new owner (on behalf of my colleague
and I). We are writing you because, due to the nature of our jobs, we
cannot operate a foreign accounts with over 20,000:00 Pounds.
Consequently, you will be presented as the owner of the funds in the
Deposit Company so you can be able to claim them; after all necessary
paperwork has being effected. For us to commence, I will like you to
provide the following information immediately;
1. Full name
2. Contact address
3. Telephone and fax numbers
Once I receive these information, I will prepare
the necessary documents which will put you in place as the new owner
of the funds. The money would then be released in your favors by the
Deposit Company, for us to share in the ratio of 70% for us and 30%
for you. This deal is safe as all the paperwork for this transaction
will be done by the solicitor and this will guarantees the successful
execution of this transaction.

If you are interested, please reply via my email address. Upon your
response, I shall then provide you with more details, and further
explanation that will help you understand the transaction. No doubt
this proposal will make you apprehensive, please we implore you to
observe utmost confidentiality and rest assured that this transaction
would be most profitable for both of us because we shall require your
assistance to invest our share in your country (Real estate and any
other ideas you may have), this is why your urgent action and response
is of great essence which will enable us conclude this transaction in
a timely and professional manner.
I await your swift response .
and hope that you will accept my
proposal, as time is of equal essence in this project as well as is
confidentiality.
Thank you and have a nice day.
Respectfully yours,
*Mr.George Melvin
*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam