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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: david woodson <woodson17@msn.com>
Reply-To: <DAVIDWOODSON1@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 03:49:13 +0000
Subject: NEW MESSAGES



From: Mr.David Woodson.Address:8 Mitchell Road Nottingham London N17 9HG
Good Day,
Please accept my sincere apologizes if my email does not meet your business or personal ethics. I will first introduce myself as Mr.David Woodson, a staff in the Private Clients Section of a well-known bank, here in London, England.
One of our accounts, with holding balance of 15,000,000 (Fifteen Million Pounds Sterling) has been dormant and last operated three years ago. From my investigations and confirmation, the owner of the said account, a foreigner by name John Shumejda died on the 4th of January 2002 in a plane crash in Birmingham; you can view this CNN website http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/01/04/england.plane/ for details on the crash.
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; and also Information from the National Immigration also states that he was single on entry into the UK.
I have confidently discussed this issue with the bank manager and we have agreed to find a reliable foreign partner to deal with. We therefore propose to do business with you, standing in as the next of kin of these funds from the deceased and funds released to you after necessary processes have been followed.
This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is legitimate and does not originate from drug, money laundry, terrorism or any other illegal act.
Therefore I need your cooperation in this transaction. This money will remain useless in this dormant account if I did not transfer the fund out to a foreign account.
[1) Bank name..........(2) Bank address.......(3) Account#.............(4) Account name........(5) Swift code............(6) Your full name........(7) Your full residential address....{8)Your private Tel/fax numbers
On your interest, let me hear from you urgently.
Contact me with my e-mail
Warm Regards,
Mr.David Woodson

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam