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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
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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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand us 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)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • koffiwilliams6@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3akoffiwilliams6@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: "koffiwilliams25 williams25" <koffiwilliams25.williams25@klikni.cz>
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 12:40:12 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY, BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP.


FROM THE DESK OF MR.KOFFI WILLIAMS
ECOBANK.BENIN REPUBLIC, WEST AFRICA.
PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL
EMAIL:koffiwilliams6@myway.com <EMAIL%3Akoffiwilliams6@myway.com>

Dear Friend,

Mutual Business Relationship.

I am Mr.Koffi Williams the manager of bill and exchange at the foreign
remittance department of Eco Bank.

I have urgent and confidential business proposition for you, during our
official auditing, verifications/investigations in our bank at the end of
last fiscal(financial)year, I discovered the sum of USD$6.5m dollars(Six
million,five hundred thousand US Dollars)in a dormant account belonging to a
major contractor with ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICANSTATES ECOWAS).

I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.
After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his
contract employers,(ECOWAS)Benin Republic, that he died in the October 25th
,2006 after brief ill.


On further investigation, I found out that he died without making his "WILL»
and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that he did not
declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.

This sum of sum of US $6.5m dollar (Six million, five hundred thousand
Dollars) is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over
with the principal sum at the end of each year.

No one will ever come forward to claim it.According to Beninese banking Law,
at the expiration of 7(seven) years, the money will revert to the ownership
of the Beninese Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to act as next of kin to
him so that the fruits of this old man's labour will not get into the hands
of some corrupt government officials here in Benin Republic.

We will share the money in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you and my
plan is to invest my own share of the money in your country.

Therefore, be kind to clarify the following for my consideration:
1. What other lucrative investments would you suggest as I intend banking,
real estate and hotels if they are good business venture in your Country?.

2. Can you be able to make residential documents and purchase a house for me
and my family to relocate and settle in your country?.

I decided to give you this percentage in order to motivate you and also to
let you feel satisfied at the end of this transaction.

I look forward to your earliest reply.PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE AND
CONFIDENTIAL EMAIL:koffiwilliams6@myway.com<EMAIL%3Akoffiwilliams6@myway.com>
Yours Truly,

MR.FOFFI WILLIAMS.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam