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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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)
  • "await your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "stan wilbert" <wilbertstanley6@gmail.com>
Reply-To: stanwilb@yahoo.it
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2006 12:35:44 -0800
Subject: Dear Becker


Dr. Stan Wilbert,
888 Portland street,
Sutton-in-ashfield,
Nottinghan shire,
Ng65 4we.
United Kingdom.

URGENT ATTENTION NEEDED
I am Dr. Stan Wilbert, The personal account officer to Mr. Mark Becker
a very rich gold merchant who owns a multi-national company. There is an
urgent issue on ground that needs your urgent attention. Mr. Mark Becker
died with his entire family in an auto-crash on the 2nd of October 2002. He
has a very big multi-national company in United Kingdom where I served as a
personal accounting officer to him.
After his death, I observed with patience and notice that nobody has
come up as the surviving relative or next of kin to Mr. Mark Becker. Because
this man was good to me when he was alive, I took it upon myself to find out
why nobody has come up as his next of kin. Initially my research revealed to
me that he has no surviving close relative.
There is a policy here in my country, which is if nobody comes up as
the relation or next of kin to the deceased within a period of five years,
the money in the deceased account would be forfeited to the Government with
immediate effect. I then made more findings by going to the bank and
requesting to know the names of the people Mr. Mark Becker declared as the
next of kin. The bank granted me my request and provided me with the list of
Mr. Mark Becker's next of kin.
Among this list was your name with a brief contact information about you.
Since
You are the only next of kin left whose status has not yet been confirmed, I
then decided to send you these email to let you know that you are the only
next of kin to Mr. Mark Becker left.
The total money in his account is Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars (US$10,500,000.00). At this point, immediately you
receive this email reply back to me with your full contact information
including phone and fax
Numbers so that I can forward it to the bank as the only surviving next of
kin to Mr. Mark Becker so that the bank can start processing the release of
the funds to you before it is too late.
I await your urgent response.
Best Regards,
Stan Wilbert

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam