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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:
  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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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.
  • +22993702907 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr James Williams" <mrjameswilliams@yp.com.hk>
Reply-To: mr.james.williams@live.fr
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:05:45 +0000
Subject: Attention Dear,


FROM: THE DESK OF DR. James Williams
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANEGER.
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT.DR James Williams
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK ANNEX.
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN .
PHONE NUMBER +22993702907.
ATTANETIVE EMAIL: (mr.james.williams@live.fr)


DEAR FRIEND,

I AM DR.James Williams,
THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING SECTION OF AFRICAN
DEVELOPMENT BANK ANNEX-COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC OF AFRICA IN WEST AFRICA
WITH DUE RESPECT AND REGARD. I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A
BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US AT THE END
OF THE TRANSACTION.

DURING OUR INVESTIGATION AND AUDITING IN THIS BANK,MY DEPARTM ENT CAME
ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON WHO
DIED ON 23rd OCTOBER 1999 IN A PLANE CRASH AND THE FUND HAS BEEN
DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK WITHOUT ANY CLAIM OF THE FUND IN
OUR CUSTODY EITHER FROM HIS FAMILY OR RELATIONBEFORE OUR DISCOVERY TO
THIS DEVELOPMENT.

ALTHOUGH PERSONALLY,I KEEP THIS INFORMATION SECRET WITHIN MYSELF TO
ENABLE THE WHOLE PLANS AND IDEA BE PROFITABLE AND SUCCESSFUL DURING
THE TIME OF EXECUTION. THE SAID AMOUNT WAS US$18.5M (EIGHTEEN MILLION
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS).MEANWHILE ALL THE WHOLE
ARRANGEMENT TO PUT CLAIM OVER THIS FUND AS THE BONA FIDE NEXT OF KIN
TO THE DECEASED,

GET THE REQUIRED APPROVAL AND TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT
HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE AND DIRECTIVES AND NEEDED INFORMATION WILL BE
RELAYED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS
TO ASSIST ME AND ALSO BENEFIT YOUR SELF TO THIS GREAT BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY.

IN FACT I COULD HAVE DONE THIS DEAL ALONE BUT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION
IN THIS COUNTRY AS A CIVIL SERVANT IN THIS VERY BANK, WE ARE NOT ALLOW
ED TO OPERATE A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WOULD EVENTUALLY RAISE AN EYE BROW ON
MY SIDE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER BECAUSE I WORK IN THIS BANK.

THIS IS THE ACTUAL REASON WHY IT WILL REQUIRE A SECOND PARTY OR FELLOW
WHO WILL FORWARD CLAIMS AS THE NEXT OF KIN WITH AFFIDAVIT OF TRUST OF
OATH TO THE BANK AND ALSO PRESENT A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHERE HE WILL NEED
THE MONEY TO BE RE-TRANSFERRED INTO ON HIS REQUEST AS IT MAY BE AFTER
DUE VERIFICATION AND CLARIFICATION BY THE CORRESPONDENT BRANCH OF THE
BANK WHERE THE WHOLE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED FROM TO YOUR OWN
DESIGNATION BANK ACCOUNT.

MAY I AT THIS POINT EMPHASIZE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE
AS I HAVE M ADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL DEAL BEFORE CONTACTING
YOU. ON SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO
40% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION, WHILE 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO
TAKE CARE OF EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER AND
ALSO TELEPHONE BILLS, WHILE 55% WILL BE FOR ME.

PLEASE, YOU HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO KEEP TOP SECRET AS I AM STILL IN
SERVICE AND INTEND TO RETIRE FROM SERVICE AFTER I CONCLUDETHIS DEAL
WITH YOU.I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THIS BANK
UNTIL YOU CONFIRM THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND ASK I TO COME DOWN TO
YOUR COUNTRY FOR SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO
PERCENTAGES PREVIOUSLY INDICATED AND FURTHER INVESTMENT,

EITHER IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY COUNTRY YOU ADVICE ME TO INVEST IN. ALL
OTHER NECES SARY INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU.

I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON MY EMAIL, STATING
YOUR WISH IN THIS DEAL.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

DR. James Williams.
N/B: GET BACK TO ME HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
(mr.james.williams@live.fr)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam