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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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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:
  • "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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Elvin Kume" <elkume11@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: elvinkume@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2006 04:09:12 +0000
Subject: VERY URGENT/PRIVATE.

VERY URGENT/PRIVATE.
For your attention.

Sequel to your non response of my earlier letter to you on behalf of
The Trustees and Executors to the Will of our late client. We wish to notify
you that the sole beneficiary to the total sum of Usd$8.7m (Eight million
Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in the codicil and last
testament of the deceased, can not be located after several notifications
and contact made.

Therefore, we the Trustees and Executors to the Will of our late client need
your consent to make you the sole beneficiary of the Will. We wish to offer
you 20% of the total amount.Usd$1,740,000(One million Seven Hundred and
Fourty Thousand United States Dollars).

All the legal paperwork will be processed on your response and will be sent
to you for your perusal. In your acceptance of this notice, we request that
you kindly forward your full name, current telephone and fax numbers and
forwarding address to enable us file necessary documents at our high court
probate division for the release of the fund to you by the bank.

You can reach me via a return e-mail if the deal is accepted but if not
please delete and consider this email as a junk mail.

Please note that this offer is very confidential and needs to be treated
urgently.
Yours faithfully,
Barrister Elvin Kume esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam