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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.

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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:
  • "a security company " (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. )
  • "share the funds upon agreed terms" (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)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Paul Richard" <paulrichard21@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: paulrichard01@live.com
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 10:12:53 +0000
Subject: AN URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED


*BARR.PAUL RICHARD (Esq)
Terry waya Chambers
409 Norton burg,
Accra,Ghana-West Africa.
Reply to:paulrichard02@live.com <to%3Apaulrichard02@live.com>
Telephone +233-247547295,

Attn:,

Compliments of the day to you.I must solicit your confidentiality and assure
you that I am contacting you in good faith and this proposal will be of
mutual benefit.*
**
*I am Barr.PAUL (Esq.), a legal practitioner. My client who was a member
board of trustees SPDC London was killed with his entire family in a fatal
accident,sparing none of their lives, some years ago. Before his death, I
assisted him in the deposit of some funds with a Security Company for
safekeeping.The funds have remained unclaimed since his death, and such
unclaimed funds are appropriated and returned to the treasury as a matter of
policy. Considering the lack of success in my bid to locate any of his
relatives for over a year now, I hereby solicit your consent to enable me
present you as the Next of Kin to my deceased client.

I am contacting you for two reasons. Firstly, you both have the same last
name, which makes the claim most credible. Secondly, I strongly believe that
the Security Company does not deserve to inherit the funds, These reasons
led to my resolve to claim the funds which was why I contacted you,With your
permission, I will proceed to establish you as the next of kin/Beneficiary
to my late client. As soon as this is done, you will then give instructions
to the Security Company, to transfer the deposited funds into another
account you will provide, after which we shall then share the funds upon
agreed terms.

Finally, I demand that you keep this transaction confidential till we
complete the deal and also confirm that the funds have been transferred into
any nominated bank account of ours. I would want you to furnish me with the
following informations which will assist me in this claim,

1,FULL NAME________________
2,CONTACT ADDRESS________
3,TELEPHONE AND FAX_______
4,OCCUPATION______________*
*5,AGE______________________

These information will assist me to secure the necessary papers in your name
When I receive your response, I will provide you with further details.

I await your reply,

BARR.PAUL RICHARD {Esq.}.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam