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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22997876751 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Martins" <martinsprivate6@msn.com>
Reply-To: martinsprivate6@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 12:07:14 +0000
Subject: Re: How are you today my good friend.

Attn: Friend.

I am Dr. Hommer Martins, the director, Auditing and Accounting unit
of the Continental Bank, and the account officer to Brochem Bereau, a
multi million and multi dimensional Japanese Firm based here in Benin
Republic, The Director Eng. Chun, Myung-Sik, unfortunately died in the
tragic plane crash of Union Transport Africaines Flight Boeing 727 in
Cotonou, Benin republic on the December 25, 2003. You will read more
stories about the crash on visiting the below

website www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/

Before his death Eng. Chun, Myung-Sik has a ten (10) years time
deposit account with my bank made in June 1993, which has matured and
several official notice despatched to his confidential contact as
instructed without response. No other person knows about this account
or any thing concerning it except him, and my comprehensive
investigation proved that his supposed next of kin died with him in
the crash.

I decided to contact you to assist in repatriating the fund before it
get confiscatedor declared unserviceable by the bank. I seek your consent
to present you as the bona-fide next of kin to the deceased customer so
that the proceeds of the account valued at US$5.6Million can be paid to you
immediately and then you and I will share the money. I have used my
official capacity to perfect all the administrative logistic to back
up the claim before contacting you.

All I require is a secured bank account outside Benin Republic and
your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I
guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law. All documents of
transaction and data will be destroyed with Telex and Info Tech Unit
(TITU) immediately we receive this money leaving no trace to any place.
If this proposal is acceptable to you, kindly email your following
information to me immediately:

a. Complete names
b. Private telephone number
c. Private fax number
d. Private email

Sincerely,
Dr. Hommer Martins
00229-97876751

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam