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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
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr john walter" <mrjwalter03@googlemail.com>
Reply-To: mrjwalter07@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 16:55:00 -0700
Subject: REPLY ME BACK


Dear Friend,
Please accept my sincere apologizes if my email does not meet your business
or personal ethics. I will first introduce myself as Mr John Walter an
auditor with a bank in UK. One of our accounts, with holding balance of Ten
Million pounds Sterling has been dormant and last operated for years ago.
>From my investigations, the owner of the said account,Is a foreigner who
died along with his entire family in crash at Birmingham Airport on 4th Jan,
2002. View this website for verification <<
http://www.cwn.org.uk/business/a-z/a/agco/2002/01/020104-air-crash.htm>>
Since then, nobody has done anything as regards the claiming of this money,
as he has no family member that has any knowledge as to the existence of
either the account or the funds; I have have decided to find a reliable
foreign partner to deal with.
My proposition to you, is to seek your consent to present you as the Next of
kin and beneficiary of this late client, So that the proceeds of this
account valued a huge sum shall be paid to you, and then we can share the
amount on a mutually agreed percentage.
This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is
legitimate and does not originate from drug, money laundering, terrorism or
any other illegal act, funds will be released to you after necessary
processes have been followed. Let me hear from you as soon as you get this
message, so we can proceed.
Best regards,
Mr John Walter

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam