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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:
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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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
  • albertkevin2@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3aalbertkevin2@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "kevin albert" <kevin_albert@ig.com.br>
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 15:22:53 +0200
Subject: REPLY


Dear Trusting Friend,
I pray that this email reaches you in the best of health. This letter may
come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have not yet met. The
message could be strange but it's real if you pay some attention to it. I
want to notify you about it at least for the sake of your integrity.

In a brief introduction, I am kevin albert, the Director of Operation with
Cooperative Bank Plc Benin-Cotonou, Republic of Benin. I have a very
interesting transaction to discuss with you.

The business under discussion has to do with George Stearns a national of
your country, who is a Consultant/ contractor with Societe Nationale Des
Products D' Agricole (SONAPRA) Company in Benin-Cotonou.

I managed to get your contact details through the Internet search myself
because time is of importance to it and I am desperately looking for a
person to assist me to pull this money out from the bank before our corrupt
government officials will confiscate the money.
On Thursday, December 25, 2003, George Stearns , his wife and their only
daughter were involved in Air-Crash near the Atlantic Ocean in Cotonou
suburb. For more clarifications, you can visit the CNN web news for the
tragedy.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/
Since then I have made several inquiries to your Embassy, in a bid to locate
any relation of George Stearns. All attempts to reach the next of kin of
George Stearns has been futile as He had no family here in Benin Republic.
Hence my decision to contact you. I want you and I to go into partnership,
the nature of your business is completely irrelevant to this transaction as
all I need from you is an assurance that my interest will be fully protected
once this transaction is concluded.

George Stearns made a numbered time (fixed) deposited for twelve calendar
and his account with our Bank accrues to about (Four Million, Three hundred
and Fifty- Two Thousand US Dollars) $USD4.352M.

According to the Benin Law, at the expiration of (FIVE) years, the money
will revert to the ownership of the Benin government if nobody applies to
claim the funds. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a
foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to George Stearns so that the
fruits of this old man's labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt
government officials who will latter use the money to sponsor war in Africa
and kill innocent citizens in the search for political power/seat.

Please note that There will be no problem at all, my position as the
Director of Operation guarantees the successful execution of this
transaction within 7 Banking days and the money will be paid into your
account for us to share in the ratio of 40% for you and 60% for me.

This is very simple, I will like you to reply immediately so that I can send
you the Text of application which you will fill and apply to the bank as the
next of kin to George Stearns and I will use my good position in the bank as
the Director of Operation to make sure that the application is approved,
during board meeting for immediate payment.
If you are interested, reply immediately via my Private e-mail

address:albertkevin2@yahoo.fr <address%3Aalbertkevin2@yahoo.fr>, so that we
can proceed at once.
Please send to me also your private phone, or mobile numbers for easier
correspondence I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Regards.
kevin albert

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam