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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
• 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.
  • williamshalls@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: WILLIAMS HALLS <hallswilliams@netscape.net>
Reply-To: williamshalls@netscape.net
Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2006 13:42:14 +0100
Subject: ATTENTION!! ASSISTANCE,


STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL


I hope this letter will not embarrass you since we have not had any previous communication.

I am Mr. WILLIAMS HALLS, a Bank Manager of Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Accra Ghana. On Nov 6, 2005, a Canadian Gold Consultant/Contractor with the ASHANTI GOLD FIELD LTD, MR. DAVID ANDERSON made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, Valued at US$15M (Fifteen Million United States Dollars only) in my branch. Upon maturity I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.

After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers the ASHANTI GOLD FIELD LTD that Mr. David Anderson died on a Motor accident going to ACCRA-GHANA our Capital Territory. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.I therefore made further investigations and discovered that he did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents. According to Ghana Laws, at the expiration of 2 (two) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Ghana Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to act as the next kin to Mr. David Anderson so that the fruits of this old man's labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials here. This transaction is very simple and 100% risk free. Therefore I will like you to provide immediately your full name and address so that an Attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits, which will put you in place as the next of kin to Mr. Anderson. Also provide to me your private phone and fax numbers for easy communication. A Bank Account in any part of the world, which you will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the Beneficiary/next of kin.

The money will be paid into your Account for us to share in the ratio of 50% for me and 50% for you.Please write me back on my private email address:- williamshalls@netscape.net , for further explanations. I look forward to your urgent response to my proposal.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr Williams Halls

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam