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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.

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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)
  • "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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +31647285270 (Netherlands, 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.
  • van_curtis1@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: van_curtis1@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:17:16 +0200
Subject: Dear friend


Dear friend

I got your details after an extensive online search for a
reliable foreign
business partner.

It involves a time deposit of $48.3million (Forty Eight Million
And Three
hundred thousand United States Dollars only) in an account in
the
Netherlands.

The circumstances surrounding the death of the depositor with
no known
nominated successor has made it difficult to locate anyone who
is directly
related to the deceased.

With very strong feeling that no one will ever come forward to
claim the
funds and the investigation coming to a close after several
months, the need
for assistance becomes crucial, as a next of kin to the
depositor is
earnestly sought for and your name fits exactly the family name
of the
depositor and that is why i have contacted you today.

I have a legal and totally risk free means through which the
funds can be
released to you or your nominated bank account within a very
short time
after due documentation and authentication process.

The strategy is to use my position as his Attorney to present
you as a next
of Kin and beneficiary of the time deposit.

I expect your response and if in the affirmative, contact me on
my direct
Phone: +31-647-285-270.You can also send an
email to my private email address which is as follows:
van_curtis1@yahoo.com.hk . I shall advice you on what we need
to do on
receipt of a positive response from you.

Best regards,

van curtis
Tel:+31-647-285-270

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam