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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
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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:

• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "remmittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • mikebown2000@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mikebrowns2" <mikebrowns2@terra.com.mx>
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 05:15:56 -0600
Subject: Form: Mr Mike Brown


Form: Mr Mike Brown
Dear Friend,
I am Mr Mike Brown, manager of bill and exchange at the foreign remmittance department, Union Togolaise Du Banque Lome Togo. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On June 6, 2000, a contractor with ECOWAS,Mr Kevin B. Hilder made a numbered time(Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months. Valued at US$9.5m dollar(Nine million,five hundred thousand US Dollars).
Since we got information about his death discovered from his contract employers, ECOWAS Lome Togo, that he died in the October,2000 plane crash with Egyptian Air Line. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making his "WILL", and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.
I therefore made further investigation and discovered that he did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum US$9.5m dollar(Nine million,five hundred thousand US Dollars) is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Togolese banking Law, at the expiration of 5 (Five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Togolese Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to act as next of kin to him so that the fruits of this old man’s labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials here in Lome Togo.The request of a foreigner as next of kin in this business is occassioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a togoliase cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.
There after I and my collegues will visit your country for disbursment according to the percentages that shall be agreed in due course. Therefore, to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you, you must apply first to the bank as relation or next or kin of the deceased.
Upon receipt of your reply, i will send to you by fax or email the text of the application. I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is hicth-free and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required arrangements have been made for the transfer.
You may contact me immediately as soon as you receive this letter.
I look forward to your earliest reply.
Yours Truly,
Mr. Mike Brown
You may contact me through this alternative email address:
mikebown2000@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam