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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million british pounds" (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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "ken williams" <kenwilliams002@msn.com>
Reply-To: kenwilliam_banker@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 08:24:03 +0000
Subject: PERSONAL

Greetings Dear ,

PRIVATE AND URGENT

I am a staff member of Natwest Bank London. With all due respect, I am
writing following an opportunity in my office that will be of immense
benefit to both of us. In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of
10.5million British Pounds Sterling (Ten million five hundred thousand
British Pounds) in an account that belong to one of our foreign customers
Late Mr. Morris Thompson who unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash
of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000, including
his wife and only daughter. You shall read more about the crash on visiting
this site.
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/ and
www.nativefederation.org/history/people/mThompson.html
Now the bank has been waiting for any of the relatives to come-up for the
claim but nobody has done that.I personally has been unsuccessful in
locating the relatives for 4 years now, I seek your consent to present you
as the next of kin/ Will Beneficiary to the deceased so that the proceeds of
this account valued at 10.5Million British Pounds can be paid to you. This
will be disbursed or shared in these percentages, 60% to me and 40% to you.
I will secure all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any
claim we may make. All I require is your honest Co-operation,
Confidentiality and Trust to enable us see this transaction through. I
guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law.
Please, provide me the following:
1. Full Name
2. Your Telephone Number
3. Your Contact Address.
Your urgent response will be highly anticipated and appreciated.
Best regards,

Ken Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam