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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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:
  • "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)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "liberia" (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.
  • choice_law_chambers@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: choice_law_firm@bresciaonline.it
Date: Sun, 20 May 2007 17:41:17 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: FOR YOUR URGENT INFORMATION




Attn Pls.
Before I proceed, note that I am not in any way begging you to respond to this notice as I have maximum period to wait for your response before taking final decision.
I am CHOICE WEAH Esq., a solicitor at law, and a Liberian lawyer practising in Benin Republic. I am the personal attorney to late Mr.Charles Droz, an American rich businessman and a philanthropist who based in Benin.
Before his death, Mr.Charles Droz did organise annual philanthropic programmes for charities with his wealths as he personally disclosed his reasons to me when he was alive.

Unfortunately, my client, on the single reason of visiting his family in United State in Sept,2001 was later discovered to be one of the victims of Americans who died at the Pentagon on September 11th.You can see his name among the recorded lists by clicking on this hyperlink:http://www.freedomfiles.org/war/passengers-crew-flight77.html. The news was that all his family members were involved in the accident.
Before his untimely death, he deposited US$2.7 MILLION (TWO MILLION, SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) in a financial institution here hoping to use the funds to organise the 2002 philanthropic programme as soon as he comes back, but it was unfortunate to hear that he died without accomplishing his gesture. This philanthropic agreement was written and signed in my law firm.
Since then I have made several inquiries to the embassy here to locate any of my client's extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.
I refused to disclose further information about the funds to anybody, knowing fully well that people might pretend as his relatives to claim the funds.

Since a copy of the agreement was also presented to the financial institution, the Finance Institution now informed me that the funds have been lying dormant and as the deceased personal attorney, they informed me that they will soon organised a general auditing for the year 2007 and has issued me a notice to provide any next of kin or have the account confiscated on their auditing date.Since the fund has been agreed to use as philanthropic gesture,I decided to organise a computer screening ballot system using addresses of individuals to determine the fortunate winner of the programme, fortunately, your address came out as the sole winner of the philanthropic programme. Congratulations.
After receiving the funds, you will be required to strictly use the funds as written in the agreement which states that:
30% of the total funds will be donated to Charity home
10% to my law firm as the attorney who organise the programmes, while
60% will be your own part as the winner of the programme.

Now you are required to send the following information to this firm to enable us prepare necessary paperwork to enable the financial institution release the funds to you:
FULL NAME, RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, TELEPHONE/FAX N°S AND YOUR OCCUPATION.
Strictly send the information to my chamber's address: choice_law_chambers@myway.com
You should consider this very urgent as the financial institution has given me few days to do that.
On receiving your response, I will prepare all necessary legal documents which you will submit to the financial Institution for claim.
Once again,note that I am not in any way begging you to respond to this notice as I have maximum period to wait for your response before taking final decision.
Best regard.
Barr. CHOICE WEAH.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam