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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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:
  • "million united state 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)
  • ",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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "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.
• 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.
  • ellisprivatebox0099@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <mrellisbox1@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:00:18 +0000
Subject: Partnership Proposal {Reply After Reading}



From: Mike EllisGroup Finance Director,Treasury & Insight.HBOS United Kingdom. Good day, I am Mr. Mike Ellis, the Group Finance Director, Treasury & Insight HBOS United Kingdom. I personally discovered a dormant account with a total sum of $85,000,000.00 [SEVENTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS] during our Bank's Annual Year Account Auditing.The owner of this dormant account died on on a plane Crash. Since the death of the deceased, nobody has operated in this account till date. Moreover, this account has NO BENEFICIARY attached to it. Definitely, this fund will be confiscated by our BANKING CODE OF ETHICS if it remains dormant for a period of [10] years without any claims. In this regard, I earnestly need your full cooperation in transferring this dormant fund out of our bank to avoid our bank confiscating this fund.I will split the transfer into two 2 stages for easy and smooth transfer. First, I will transfer $80,000,000.00 to any valid foreign account you will nominate, upon a successful transfer without any disappointment from your side; I will then fly to meet you in your home destination for sharing, thereafter we jointly transfer the remaining balance of $5,000,000.00.I will also like us to invest some part of the money in your country and you will be appointed as the CEO of the company. If you accept to work with me, you will be given 50% of the total money as your share. So the main question is, will you partner me in this transaction. If you are willing to cooperate in this project, do kindly fill the below information which i will need for the procurement of the needed document which will testify to the bank that you are the next of kin to the account and money involved.I am definitely at the last stage of the transaction so i need your full support OK. And i promise you that once we get all documents ready and sent to the bank, they will channel the money into any account you wish OK. The Needed information are as follows. REPLY AND LET ME KNOW YOURFULL NAME:AGE:ADDRESS:OCCUPATION:PHONE NUMBER:FAX NUMBERS IF AVAILABLE:MARITAL STATUS: I AWAIT YOUR URGENT REPLY. Yours Truly,Mr. Mike EllisPRIVATE EMAIL:ellisprivatebox0099@hotmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam