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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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)
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "abidjan" (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.
  • stanleydavid03@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: stanley david <stanleydavid03@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:57:10 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Appeal For A Good Business Transation ( From Stanley David )





From: Mr Stanley David,
Accountant/auditor
Abidjan-Ivory Coast=20
Email :stanleydavid03@yahoo.com
=A0
Dear Friend,
=A0
First,I must solicit your confidence in this transaction, this is by virtue=
of its nature as being utterly CONFIDENTIAL and TOP SECRET. Though I know =
that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and wor=
ried,but I assuring you that all is well.=20
I am Mr Stanley David, the director in charge of auditing section of a prim=
e Bank here in west Africa. With due respect and regard,I am contacting you=
based on Trust and confidentiality that will be attached to this transacti=
on for the benefit of both of us.
=A0
During the auditing in the bank,my department came across an abandoned sum =
of money belonging to a deceased person who died in a plane crash Egyptian =
airline,along with his wife. And the fund has been dormant in his account w=
ithout any claim either from his family or relation before my discovery to =
this development.Personally,I have kept this information secret within myse=
lf to help me plan on how to move this money successfully without any probl=
em.The amount is (US$42,000,000,00 M) fourty-two Million US Dollars.
=A0
All arrangements to put claim on this fund as the bonafide next of kin to t=
he deceased,and transfer this money to your foreign account has been put in=
place, and I will provide all needed information=A0 as soon as you indicat=
e your interest and willingness to handle this with me and also benefit fro=
m this great business opportunity. In fact I could have done this alone but=
because of my position in the bank as a civil servant, we are not allowed =
to operate a foreign account and would eventually raise an eye brow on my s=
ide during the time of transfer. This is=A0 actually the main reason why it=
will require a second party,very trusted person who will forward claims as=
the next of kin to our Bank and also present an account where this money w=
ill be transferred into without problem.=20
=A0
May I also inform you that this transaction is risk free as I have planned =
this successfully before contacting you.On smooth conclusion of this transa=
ction,you will be entitled to 40% of the total sum as your own share,while =
5% will be set aside to take care of expenses that may arise during the cou=
rse of this,while 55% will be for me.=20
Please,you must keep this=A0 as a top secret=A0 because I am still in servi=
ce and intend to retire from my work after the conclusion of this transacti=
on with you.=20
Your involvement as a foreigner is necessary because the management is read=
y to welcome any person, a foreigner who has correct information of this ac=
count, which I will give to you if you are ready to conclude this with me,k=
eeping to my instructions because I don't want to make mistake. I need your=
strong assurance that this money will be intact pending my arrival in your=
country for sharing.=20
=A0
Be informed that I will destroy all the documents relating to this transact=
ion immediately after this money has be transferred into your account.=20
=A0
All other necessary information will be sent to you when I hear from you.I =
suggest you get back to me as soon as possible on this e-mail address stati=
ng your interest in this transaction.=20
=A0
Yours faithfully,=20
Mr Stanley David.=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam