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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
  (+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:
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• 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.
  • geo_van20@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Geophrey Alabasten" <geo_alamieye02@msn.com>
Reply-To: geo_van20@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 16:10:38 +0000
Subject: CONSIDER VERY URGENT

Dear Associate,
I wish to use these medium to reach out to you and at the same time strongly
advice that you endevore to treat this mail as discreet and urgent as
possible.
My name is GEOPHREY ALABASTEN,i am the personal account officer to one
Engineer Andrew a
foreing national who used be an Oil Merchant with Mobil Petroleum Company
Netherlands,herein shall be referred to as my client.My client was involved
in a ghastly car accident on the 21st of December 2002 along Fernood road
here in Netherlands, unfortunately he lost his life in that ghastly
accident.He had operated an account here with FINANS BANK (Netherlands)
valued at 8.5m EUROS.This account has since remained dormant and unclaimed
after death.All efforts to get in contact with his extended relative have
proved unsuccessful.As a matter of fact the bank has already considered this
account to be a dormant account and have indicated actions to divert the
funds into the bank treasury within the next ( 14 ) official working days as
unclaimed funds on the grounds that no positive claim have been esatblished
from any supposed next of kin as regards this funds over this period of
time.
After my efforts to locate any member of his family have yeilded no
result,I seek your consent having contacted you to present you to the bank
as the next of kin to enable the possible release and payment of this funds
to you there by assist in the claiming of this funds before the funds is
confisticated.I will be counting on your reputation as being reliable and
rightfull for this transaction.I have mapped out positive measures to
facilitate the success of this claim and will carefully be executed.This
transaction is 100% risk free,so on gaining your interest to assist claim
this money then we can further discuss on the terms and modalities for
sharing of the money.I anticipate your prompt response with your phone
number and best way to reach you.Do reply mail to--> geo_van20@hotmail.com
Sincerely,
GEOPHREY ALABASTEN.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam