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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "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)
  • ",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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <philipkenmm@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:23:48 +0000
Subject: URGENT




ATTENTION
Do accept my sincere apologies if my mail does not meet your personal ethics. I will introduce myself as Mr Philip Ken, a staff in the accounts management section with one of the prime Banks here in the United Kingdom One of our accounts with holding balance of £30,000,000 (Thirty Million British Pounds) have been dormant and have not been operated for the past four (4) years. From my investigations and confirmations, the owner of this account, a foreigner by Name Christian Eich died in July, 2000 see this:
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm> and since then nobody has done anything as regards the claiming of this money because he has no family members who are aware of the existence of neither the account nor the funds. I have secretly discussed this matter with a senior official of this company and we have agreed to find a reliable foreign partner to deal with. We thus 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 due processes have been followed. This transaction is totally free of risk and as the fund is legitimate and does not originate from drug, money laundering, terrorism or any other illegal act. On receipt of your response I will furnish you with detailed clarification as it relates to this mutual benefit transaction. I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible if you are interested provide your phone number for more details.
Mr Philip Ken.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam