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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:

• 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:
  • "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)
  • "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 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.
  • alonsobenmax@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.ALONSO BENITEZ MAX" <alonsobenmax@ya123.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: alonsobenmax@zwallet.com
Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 14:54:27 +0200
Subject: very urgent

VERY CONFIDENTIAL
FROM: MR.ALONSO BENITEZ MAX ATTN:
DEAR: SIR
I AM THE MANAGER OF BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE
DEPARTMENT OF THE BECO BANK SPAIN PLC. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR SUPPORT AND CO-OPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT. WE DISCOVER AN ABANDONED SUM OF US$30,000,000.00 (THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN NOVEMBER 2003 IN A PLANE CRASH. SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE MONEY UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THE FAMILY MEMBER NOR THE RELATION
HAS APPEARED TO CLAIM THIS MONEY, AT THIS DISCOVERY, I AND OTHER
OFFICIALS IN THE DEPARTMENT NOW DECIDED TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU AND
RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION OF THE DECEASE FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SI NCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS AN UNCLAIMED DEBT. THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINES OF
BECO BANK SPAIN PLC STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED UNCLAIMED FOR A PERIOD OF THREE (3) YEARS IT WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND. THE NEED FOR A FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASSIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A SPAINIAN CANNOT STAND AS HIS NEXT OF KIN OR HEIR. WE AGREED THAT 30% OF THE MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, THERE AFTER MY COLLEAGUE AND I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGE INDICATED. THEREFORE, TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THE FUND TO YOU AS INDICATED. YOU MUST APPLY TO THE BANK AS A RELATION OR NEXT OF KIN OF THE DECEASED, INDICATING YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER AND LOCATION WHERE IN THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED. UPON RECEIPT OF REPLY BY MAIL,I WILL SEND TO YOU BY MAIL THE TEXT OF APPLICATION. AS SOON AS YOU
RECEIVE THIS LETTER YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AND INDICATE YOUR DIRECT FAX AND CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY ON MY
E-MAIL.
alonsobenmax@yahoo.com
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR.ALONSO BENITEZ MAX
BECO BANK SPAIN PLC

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam