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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:
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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:
  • "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. )
  • "million british 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2008 16:16:47 +0000
Subject: Immediate response needed


Dear Sir,
I am Jimmy Adam, a staff member of Natwest Bank
London. With all due respect, I am writing following
an oppurtunity in my office that will be of immense
benefit to both of us. In my department we discovered
an abandoned sum of 7.5million British Pounds Sterling
(seven million five hundred thousand British Pounds)
in an account that belong to one of our foreign
customers Late Mr. Morris Thompson who unfortunately
lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines
Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000, including
his wife and only daughter. You shall read more about
the crash on visiting this site.
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/ 01/alaska.airlines.list/
Now the bank has been waiting for any of the relatives
to come-up for the claim but nobody has done that.I
personally has been unsuccessful in locating the
relatives for 4 years now, I seek your consent to
present you as the next of kin/Beneficiary to
the deceased so that the proceeds of this account
valued at 7.5Million British Pounds can be paid to
you. This will be disbursed or shared in these
percentages, 60% to me and 40% to you. With the assistance
of an Attorney all necessary legal documents will be procured to
back up any claim we may make. All I require is your honest
Co-operation, Confidentiality and Trust to enable us
see this transaction through. I guarantee you that
this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law.
Please, provide me the following:
1. Full Name
2. Your Telephon/fax numbers
3. Your Contact Address.
Your urgent response will be highly anticipated and
appreciated.
Best regards,
Jimmy Adams.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam