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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:
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million us 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)
  • "30% for you " (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)
  • "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • drakinwale_wiliams@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "williams akinwale" <drakinwale1@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 23:23:46 +0000
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS TRANSACTION

UNION BANK OF NIG. PLC
UNION HOUSE MARINA
LAGOS STATE
NIGERIA.
FROM THE DESK OF: DR.SAMSON STEPHEN AKINWALE
POSITION: SENIOR MANAGER, BILLS AND EXCHANGE
REPLY TO: drakinwale_wiliams@yahoo.com

DEAR SIR,
I SINCERELY WRITE TO SEEK YOUR CO-OPERATION AND TRUST TO ENABLE MY
COLLEAGUES AND I CARRY OUT AN URGENT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT.
I WORK WITH THE UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC; CURRENTLY I AM THE SENIOR MANAGER
OF BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF MY BANK. I
HAVE AN URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL FOR YOU. ON JUNE 23, 1999,
AN AMERICAN OIL CONSULTANT/CONTRACTOR WITH NATIONAL PETROLEUM COOPERATION
(NNPC) MR. PHILIPS ROBINSON MADE A NUMBERED TIME (FIXED) DEPOSIT FOR TWELVE
CALENDERER MONTH VALUED AT US$45,000,000.00(FORTY-FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS)
IN MY BRANCH. ON MATURITY, I SENT A ROUTINE NOTIFICATION TO HIS FORWARDED
ADDRESS BUT GOT NO REPLY AFTER MONTHS WE SEND A REMINDER AND FINALLY WE
DISCOVERED FROM HIS CONTRACT EMPLOYEE (NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM
CORPORATION) THAT MR. PHILIPS ROBINSON DIED FROM AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. ON
FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS CLEAR THAT HE DIED WITHOUT MAKING A WILL.
ALL ATTEMPTS BY THE AMERICAN EMBASSY TO TRACE HIS NEXT OF KIN WERE
FRUITLESS. I THEREFORE MADE FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND DISCOVERED THAT MR.
PHILIPS ROBINSON DID NOT DECLARE ANY NEXT OF KIN OR RELATIONS IN ALL HIS
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
INCLUDING HIS DEPOSIT DOCUMENT IN MY BANK. THE TOTAL SUM US$45,000,000.00 IS
STILL IN MY BANK AS DORMANT ACCOUNT. NO ONE WILL EVER COME FORWARD TO CLAIM
IT.
ACCORDING TO NIGERIAN BANKING LAW, AFTER FIVE YEARS, THE MONEY
WILL REVERT TO THE OWNERSHIP OF THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT. IF THE ACCOUNT
OWNER IS CERTIFIED DEATH AND NOBODY COMES FORWARD TO CLAIM IT. THIS IS THE
SITUATION, AND MY PROPOSAL IS THAT I AM LOOKING FOR A FOREIGNER WHO WILL
STAND IN AS THE BENEFICIARY/NEXT OF KIN. THIS IS SIMPLE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO
IS TO IMMEDIATELY SEND ME THE DETAILS OF A BANK ACCOUNT ANYWHERE IN THE
WORLD FOR ME TO ARRANGE THE PROPER MONEY TRANSFER DOCUMENT. THE MONEY WILL
THEN BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE ACCOUNT FOR US TO SHARE IN THE RATIO OF 60% FOR
ME 30% FOR YOU WHILE THE REMAINING 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES
INCURRED WITH HERE AND THERE. THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED. I AM USING MY
POSITION AND CONNECTION IN THE BANK HERE TO DO ALL THE DOCUMENT WORK FOR THE
TRANSACTION. WE SHALL EMPLOY THE SERVICES OF AN ATTORNEY TO DRAFT THE
WILL AND OBTAIN ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION IN
YOUR FAVOR FOR THE TRANSFER. THIS TRANSACTION IS RISK FREE GUARANTEED. IF
YOU ARE INTERESTED, , I WILL SEND TO YOU THE TEXT OF THE APPLICATION
THAT YOU WILL SEND TO THE UNION BANK AUTHORITY FOR AN APPROVAL TO
SUBMIT YOUR CLAIMS.
SEND YOUR REPLY THROUGH MY DIRECT AND PRIVATE E-MAIL
ADDRESS ( drakinwale_wiliams@yahoo.com ) INDICATE YOUR DIRECT FAX AND
TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION THAT THIS TRANSACTION NEEDS.
DO NOT REPLY THROUGH THE UNION BANK EMAIL ADDRESS BECAUSE IT BELONGS TO THE
SENIOR STAFFS FOR PUBLIC USE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU ARE NOT TO APPEAR IN PERSON, AS EVERY THING REGARDING
THIS PROJECT WILL BE STRICTLY ON DOCUMENTATIONS AND EVERY BANKING DOCUMENTS
NEEDED FOR THIS TRANSACTION WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF BY MY SELF.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
YOURS FAITHFULLY
DR.WILLIAMS AKINWALE

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam