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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
  (+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:
  • "dear friend" (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)
  • "you will be entitled to 30%" (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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22997378615 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • dav_okoro_ac122@yahoo.com.sg (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: david_okoro@zipmail.com.br
Date: Sat, 8 Jul 2006 11:44:50 +0100
Subject: STRICTLY PERSONAL

STRICTLY PERSONAL

Dear Friend,

This letter may come to you as a big surprise, but I believe it is only
a day that people meet and become great friends and business partners. With
due respect, I am David Okoro,the director in charge of audit and accounts
unit,foreign remittance department of a bank here in Benin Republic,west
africa.
I decided to contact you for a beneficial and risk-free business transaction.


During my auditing and investigation in this bank, I came across the sum
of NINE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS(US$9,000,000.00)only belonging to
an international business man who died along with his
family on 31st October 1999 in a plane crash, in an Egyptian airline ( Egypt
- Air) 990 - with other passengers on board. You can confirm this from the
website below which was published by CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/03/21/ntsb.egypt.air/index
or http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/world/americas/502503.stm

Before my discovery of this development, there was no trace of claim from
any person as the fund remains dormant in his account with this bank.
Although I kept this information secret whitin my jurisdiction to enable
me put claim and transfer the said amount through a trustworthy friend overseas
whom i will indirectly present to the bank as the bonafide next-of-kin for
a profitable and successful transaction because after a stipulated time
the money will be called back to the bank's treasury account as unclaimed
bills and be shared amongst the board of directors of the bank. It is on
this note i decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as the next
of kin/beneficiary to the funds rather than allow it to be converted to
the tresury account at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, all the arrangments to put claim as the bonafide next-of-kin
to the deceased,to get the required approval and transfer of this money
to a foreign account has been put in place.
The directives and the needed information will be relayed to you as soon
as you indicate your interest and willingness. Infact, I could have done
this alone but because as civil servants we are
not legally allowed to operate foreign account - these are the actual reasons
why it requires a second-fellow who will forward claim by my support as
the bonafide next-of-kin.And also present a foreign bank account, existing
account or set up a new account where the money will be transfered into.


On conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to 30% of the total
sum as gratification,10% of the total sum will be set aside for may be,
telephone bills and contingency, while 60% will be for me.
Please you have been advised to keep top secret as i'm still in service
and intend to retire from service honourably after the transfer.

I will be monitoring the whole situation here in this bank until you confirm
the money in your account,I then come down to your country for sharing of
the funds according to the percentages indicated above, and for investment
in any country you may advise.

All other necessary information will be sent to you when i receive an email
response from you or a telephone call at 00229-97378615.

Please reply only to my private email: dav_okoro_ac122@yahoo.com.sg

Yours Sincerely,

David Okoro

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam