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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
  (+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)
  • "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. )
  • "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)
  • "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)
  • "liberia" (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.
  • +22993484025 (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.
  • godwinemmanuel03@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "GODWIN EMMANUEL" <godwinemmanuela2@ig.com.br>
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:39:41 -0700
Subject: REPLY ME IT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE!


Dear friend,

First, I must solicit your confidence in this letter. I am Mr.Godwin
Emmanuel, the director of Assets and Treasures in a deposit company where I
work. I am writing you this letter to seek your partnership co-operation in
receiving a total amount of $13.7M USD (Thirteen Million, Seven Hundred
Thousand US Dollars) which was deposited with our company here in
Benin-Republic. This total amount was deposited as a family treasure with my
company by late Mr.Samuel Dokie, a Liberian citizen and personal aid to
President Charles Taylor.

Mr.Samuel Dokie,his wife and two Children were killed by rebels loyal to the
President near Kuru village during the past crisis in Liberia. Since the
untimely death of Mr.Samuel Dokie and his family, the management of my
company has mandated my office to make several enquiries to locate any of
his extended relatives, but no fruitful result was achieved as all my
efforts also proved unsuccessful to locate any member of his family. Before
my observation in this development, I discovered that late Mr.Samuel Dokie
did not make an HEIR/WILL.

The management has been deliberating on how to revert this fund to the
company's account since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives
for over 3 years now. It is therefore upon this discovery that I and my
junior colleague in my department decide to seek your consent to present you
as the next of kin or relation to the deceased so that we will quickly move
this money out of benin to be delivered in your care as the next of kin or
relation entitled to inherit this fund.

All arrangement to move this deposited fund has been put in place and all I
require is your honest and sincere partnership co-operation to enable us see
this money secured into a reliable custody. As an insider in the company, I
have all the necessary legal documents that will back up the claim of this
deposit and I guarantee you that this fund movement will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect both of us from any breach of the
law. On smooth completion and receipt of this total deposited fund, you will
be entitled to your own share of the total sum as gratification. We agreed
that 20% of this money will be for you as our receiving partner, while 80%
would be for me and my junior colleague.

Thereafter I will visit your country for disbursement and further investment
plans.You have been advised to keep this information a top secret as we are
still working in the company and intend to resign from service after this
money is received and lodge in your secured bank account. I shall furnish
you with further details and necessary procedures with which to make a quick
shipment progress. I suggest you to call me immediately stating your wish in
this urgent matter

via, 00229 9348 4025. or reply immediately in this my private email ;
godwinemmanuel03@hotmail.com

Thanks for your anticipated co-operation and best regards.

Yours sincerely,

Mr.Godwin Emmanuel.
Tel: 00229 9348 4025.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam