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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:
  • "dear friend" (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)
  • "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "foreign remittance 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • kevin_green2006@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "DR. KEVIN GREEN" <drkevingreen321@msn.com>
Reply-To: kevin_green2006@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2006 02:30:41 +0000
Subject: Please get back to me immediately

Bills and Exchange

Standard Chartered Bank

London.

 

My dear friend,

 

 

First I must solicit your confidence in this transaction, this is by virtue of it's nature as being utterly confidential and top secret. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring that this is real and genuine.I am the director, bills and exchange at the foreign remittance department of the Standard Chartered Bank London. I came to know you in my private search for a reliable and reputable person to handle this Confidentia lTransaction,which involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign account requiring maximum confidence.

MY PROPOSITION;

We discovered an abandoned sum of £ 20,320,000.00 (Twenty  million three hundred and twenty thousand  pound sterling ) in an account that belongs to one of our customers(Andreas Schranner ) who died along with his wife and entire family on 25th July, 2000,Air France Concorde flight 4590 plane crash.Since his death, none of his next-of-kin

or relations has come forward to lay claims for this money as the heir. We

cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines, unfortunately,no family member nor relative has ever appeared to claim the said fund. Upon this discovery, we now seek your permission to have you stand as next of kin to the deceased so that  £20,320,000.00 (Twenty  million three hundred and twenty thousand  pound sterling ) can be released and

paid into your account as the beneficiary's next of kin otherwise the fund will be returned to

treasury as unclaimed funds. All documents to enable you receive this funds will be carefully worked out.Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavour by furnishing me with the following;

1. Your name and address

2. Direct Telephone and fax numbersThese requirements will enable us file letters of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the transfer can

be made. We have agreed that our ratio of sharing will be as stated thus; On final conclusion of this project, 65% of this shall be for us, while 25% shall be for you and the remaining 10% shall be used to compensate either party for any expenses incurred. Your share 25% stays while,while our 65% share shall be used for investment purposes in your country.  If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust we have bestowed in you, I await your urgent mail. Please reply to  kevin_green2006@yahoo.com

 

Best Regards,

Dr.Kevin Green

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam