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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
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• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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. )
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "million us 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)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
  • mr_franklinjones2@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: Franklin Jones <mr_franklinjones2@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: franklinjones3@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:10:00 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Business Proposal.


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: mr_franklinjones2@yahoo.com



- Dear Friend,I am an accountant with ORIENT BANK PLC; my name is Mr. Franklin Jones a Banker. I am the Accounts Manager to ENGINEER (George Brumley Jr) a National of your country, who is a contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS. On January 30, 2000 , my client, his wife, and three children were involved in the Kenya airways flight with registration number 5Y-BEN which departed from Nairobi to destination Lagos and they all family died in this fatal air crash On January 30,Since then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended Relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you.I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged, particularly the ORIENT BANK PLC. Where the deceased had an account Valued at($35 million U.S Dollars) has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin. Or have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days.Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 6 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account valued at ($35 million US Dollars) can be paid to you and then you and me Can share the money.45% to me and 45% to you and 5% for any charity organization in your country. While 5% for unforeseen bottlenecks we might incur in this transaction an attorney will be contracted to help us re-validate and notarize all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and me from any breach of the law.You can read more about the crash on visiting this site;http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/07/20/kenya.crash/index.html Best regards,Mr. Franklin Jones.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam