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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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)
  • "huge sum of money" (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 united states 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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +22993702907 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • jameswilliams8149@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "james williams" <jameswilliams01@fastwebmail.it>
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 03:19:25 +0100
Subject: Attention Dear,


*FROM: THE DESK OF DR. James Williams
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANEGER.
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT.DR James
Williams
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK ANNEX.
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN .
PHONE NUMBER +22993702907.
ATTANETIVE EMAIL: (**jameswilliams8149@yahoo.com*<jameswilliams8149@yahoo.com>
*)


DEAR FRIEND,

I AM DR.James Williams,
THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING SECTION OF AFRICAN
DEVELOPMENT BANK ANNEX-COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC OF AFRICA IN WEST AFRICA
WITH DUE RESPECT AND REGARD. I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A BUSINESS
TRANSACTION THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US AT THE END OF THE
TRANSACTION.

DURING OUR INVESTIGATION AND AUDITING IN THIS BANK,MY DEPARTM ENT CAME
ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON WHO DIED ON
23rd OCTOBER 1999 IN A PLANE CRASH AND THE FUND HAS BEEN DORMANT IN HIS
ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK WITHOUT ANY CLAIM OF THE FUND IN OUR CUSTODY EITHER
FROM HIS FAMILY OR RELATION BEFORE OUR DISCOVERY TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.

ALTHOUGH PERSONALLY,I KEEP THIS INFORMATION SECRET WITHIN MYSELF TO ENABLE
THE WHOLE PLANS AND IDEA BE PROFITABLE AND SUCCESSFUL DURING THE TIME OF
EXECUTION. THE SAID AMOUNT WAS US$18.5M (EIGHTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS).MEANWHILE ALL THE WHOLE ARRANGEMENT TO PUT
CLAIM OVER THIS FUND AS THE BONA FIDE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED,

GET THE REQUIRED APPROVAL AND TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT HAS
BEEN PUT IN PLACE AND DIRECTIVES AND NEEDED INFORMATION WILL BE RELAYED TO
YOU AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST ME AND
ALSO BENEFIT YOUR SELF TO THIS GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.

IN FACT I COULD HAVE DONE THIS DEAL ALONE BUT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION IN
THIS COUNTRY AS A CIVIL SERVANT IN THIS VERY BANK, WE ARE NOT ALLOW ED TO
OPERATE A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WOULD EVENTUALLY RAISE AN EYE BROW ON MY SIDE
DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER BECAUSE I WORK IN THIS BANK. *

*THIS IS THE ACTUAL REASON WHY IT WILL REQUIRE A SECOND PARTY OR FELLOW
WHO WILL FORWARD CLAIMS AS THE NEXT OF KIN WITH AFFIDAVIT OF TRUST OF OATH
TO THE BANK AND ALSO PRESENT A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHERE HE WILL NEED THE MONEY
TO BE RE-TRANSFERRED INTO ON HIS REQUEST AS IT MAY BE AFTER DUE
VERIFICATION AND CLARIFICATION BY THE CORRESPONDENT BRANCH OF THE BANK
WHERE THE WHOLE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED FROM TO YOUR OWN DESIGNATION BANK
ACCOUNT.

MAY I AT THIS POINT EMPHASIZE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE AS I
HAVE M ADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL DEAL BEFORE CONTACTING YOU. ON
SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 40% OF THE
TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION, WHILE 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO TAKE CARE OF
EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER AND ALSO TELEPHONE
BILLS, WHILE 55% WILL BE FOR ME.*

*PLEASE, YOU HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO KEEP TOP SECRET AS I AM STILL IN SERVICE
AND INTEND TO RETIRE FROM SERVICE AFTER I CONCLUDE THIS DEAL WITH YOU.I
WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THIS BANK UNTIL YOU CONFIRM
THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND ASK I TO COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR
SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGES PREVIOUSLY
INDICATED AND FURTHER INVESTMENT,

EITHER IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY COUNTRY YOU ADVICE ME TO INVEST IN. ALL
OTHER NECES SARY INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU.

I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON MY EMAIL, STATING YOUR
WISH IN THIS DEAL.*

*YOURS FAITHFULLY,

DR. James Williams.
N/B: GET BACK TO ME HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. (**
jameswilliams8149@yahoo.com* <jameswilliams8149@yahoo.com>*)*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam