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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:

• 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:
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "your humble assistance" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • horvathjosef50@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: horvath josef <horvathjosef_espes192305@msn.com>
Reply-To: <horvathjosef50@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:59:21 +0000
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL



I am Mr. Josef Horvath, Senior Staff, with a Bank here in Madrid- Spain . I got your contact while searching for a reliable someone to contact for this transaction in regards to a business transfer for a huge sum of money in a dorant account. I need your assistance to transfer to overseas Nine Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only (US$9,500.000.00).
I am seeking your humble assistance to provide either an existing bank account or set up a new Bank account to receive this fund, even an empty account can serve this purpose, or you help to seek an honest and, reliable businessman who can assist us. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that this transaction has been planned perfectly by me as an insider in my bank with all the sceret profile of the deceased, I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.

During the course of my auditing i discovered a floating fund in a domiciliary account opened in the bank in 2000 and since them till now nobody has operated this account, after going through some old files in the records i discovered that the owner of the account who is a foreigner died in Madrid Bombing of 11th of March 2004, without any traceable next of kin hence the dormant nature of the account and if nobody come to claim this funds it will be re- channel to government coffers as unclaimed funds.

I am only contacting you as a foreigner that bears the same last name with the depositor because this money cannot be approved for a local account as the depositor is a foreigner, the fund can only be approved to a foreigner or into a foreign account.. I need your full co-operation to make this project a success, There is no risk at all, the paperwork for this transaction will be done by an attorney and my position guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested and know that you will not sit on this money after its successful transfer to you, please reply immediately and upon your response, I shall provide you with more details on what to do. Please observe utmost confidentiality and be rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us.

Upon your response I will inform you on the steps ahead and your compensation for providing an account for this transaction. If you find yourself capable of working with me, contact me only through the telephone numbers and email address below.

Please observe this instruction with the utmost care. I send you this letter not without a measure of fear as to what the consequences may be, but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you, I await your swift response via my personal mail horvathjosef50@gmail.com

Yours faithfully,

Mr. Josef Horvath

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam