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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:

• 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:
  • "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)
• 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.
  • infoattorney@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Chan Wong"<irdohicks@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:45:51 +0800
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL

>From the Personal Desk of Chan Wong
Tel/fax: +60-102-655-317
Office email: infoattorney@gmail.com


Good Day,

I am the Lawyer, Trustee and Executor of the Estate of a deceased client of mine, who hereafter shall be referred to as my client and who died as a result of a heart-related condition just recently. As the Executor of his estate, I regret to inform you of his death.

As the Lawyer, Trustee and Executor of his Estate, I hereby contact you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client to avoid my client's estate being escheated (i.e., legally reverted) by the bank valued at USD12,800,000.00<

The bank has issued me a notice to contact the 'next of kin' or the account will be confiscated. My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to my deceased client, so that the fund in this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed percentage. All legal documents to back up claims as my client's next of kin will be provided.

All I require is your sincere and honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect us from breach of the law. If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my sincere apology.

I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to keep this matter confidential irrespective of your decision, while I await your prompt response to office email above. Kindly contact me at once to indicate interest and for more information.

Truly yours,
Chan M. Wong M.A, LL.B (Hons)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam