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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (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. )
  • "greater london" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • "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)
  • "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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447045764330 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • info_drmichaelw@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3ainfo_drmichaelw@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr.Michael Williams" <drmichaelw1@googlemail.com>
Reply-To: info_drmichaelw@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 13:12:11 +0100
Subject: From Dr.Michael Williams


*From The Desk Of:
Dr.Michael Williams;
Natwest Bank Corporation London.
Office Private Email
Address:info_drmichaelw@yahoo.co.uk<Address%3Ainfo_drmichaelw@yahoo.co.uk>
Office Mobile:+447045764330
Call me at the receipt of this email. *

* *

*Dear Friend,

I am Dr.Michael Williams From Harlsden, North West London ,here in England.I
work for Natwest Bank Corporation London. I am writing you from my office
that will be of an inmense benefit for both of us. In my department,being
the assistant manager (Greater London Regional Office), I discovered an
abandoned sum of $12.5 million US Dollars (Twelve million five hundred
thousand Us Dollars) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign
customer Late Mr.Thompson Morrison who unfortunately lost his life in the
plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31
2000,including his wife and only daughter.

The choice of contacting you is aroused from the geographical nature of
where you live, particularly due to the sensivity of the transaction.and the
confidentiality herein. Now our bank has been waiting for any of the
relatives to come-up for the claim but nobody has done that.I personally has
beenun successful in locating the relatives for 2 years now, I seek your
consent to present you as the next of kin /Will Beneficiary to the deceased
so that the proceeds of this account valued at 12.5 Million Dollars can be
paid to you. This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages,60% to me
and 40% to you.

I have secured all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up
this claim we are making. All i need is to fill in your names to the
ducuments and legalise it in the court here to prove you as the legitimate
beneficiary. All I require now is your honest Co-operation, Confidentiality
and Trust to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you that
this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you
from any breach of the law.

Please, kindly provide me the following: this is very very URGENT PLEASE.

1. Your Full Name
2. Your private Mobile Number Or Telephone Number (For Effective
Communication)
3. Your contact Address
4. Your Private Email Contact

Having gone through a methodical search, I decided to contact you hoping
that you will find this proposal very interesting. Please on your
confirmation of this message and indicating your interest,i will furnish you
with more information. Endeavor to let me know your decision rather than
keep me waiting.

Please i await your response and your full co-operation will be highly
appreciated.

Regards,
Dr.Michael Williams*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam