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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
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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)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (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)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +22993890599 (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.
  • steve_charpman002@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Steven Charpman" <mrsteve_charpmans6@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: steve_charpman002@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 01:38:35 +0000
Subject: I NEED YOUR ASSISTANT

From Mr. Steven Charpman.
Director incharge of,
Auditing and accounting unit,
Ecowas Bank in Cotonou,
Benin-Republic of,
West Africa.

My Dear Friend,

I guess this letter may come to you as a surprise since I had no previous
correspondence with you, I got your contact e-mal from my personal
researching through internet and i decided to contact with you believing
that this communication will mark the beginning of a new and lasting
relationship between us even in the near future. I am aware of the fact that
my message will come to you as a surprise, due to the fact that we do not
know each other before. Rather, I want you to give attention to this letter
and read it with the best of your understanding.

I am Mr. Steven Charpman, the newly appointed Director, Account & Audit
Unit. at Ecowas Bank of Benin. I am contacting you following the recent
discovery I made during the bank's end of the year Audit in 2006; were we
discovered an abandoned sum of money in tone of $15 million (Fifteen Million
US Dollars) only lying dormant in the bank without any current deposit or
withdrawal or anybody coming for the money.

This is the third year this money has been lying dormant here in the bank
which is according to the previous Audit reports. According to the bank's
rules and regulations, any deposit that stayed more than a period of 4 years
in the bank, will be confiscated and transferred into the Government Bank
treasury as unclaimed bills.

Furthermore, investigations reveal that this money belongs to a foreign
customer of the bank who was an importer, who died in a plane crash that
happened here in Benin, on the 25th of December, 2003 while travelling on a
festive visit to his home country Lebanon, when suddenly there aircraft
crashed into the Atlantic Ocean immediately after taking off from the Benin
International Airport which is situated opposite the Atlantic Ocean side of
Benin Republic.

MY PROPOSAL TO YOU.

As the newly appointed Director, Account & Audit Unit of this bank, I wish
to solicit for your unconditional support and assistance to move this money
to your country, by putting up an application for the transfer of the money
to your account as the next of kin to the late customer of the bank. Late
Dr.KHIDIR HUSSAIN.as no member of the extended family of the deceased
customer has the existing knowledge of this amount here in our Bank.

Please, this message is not a scam or an illegal transaction because I have
put everything in place for the successful conclusion of this transfer and
have also acquired all the vital information's about the late customer of
the bank Late Dr.KHIDIR HUSSAIN.that will be helpful to us to successfully
conclude this transfer. If you are interested and ready to do this business
with me, I am ready to share this money with you at the percentage ratio of
45% : 45% with you, while the remaining 10% will be used to cover whatever
expenses we both made to see to the success of this transfer.

I would like us to meet here in Cotonou, Benin Republic for discussions
before we can proceed on the transfer. If you cannot be able to travel to
meet me for a discussion, contact me via my email or mobile telephone number
for more details. Please, If you are not interested, ignore and delete
this message and also forgive me for disturbing your peace.

Thank you for your good understanding as I wait for your urgent and
positive
response.

Thanks And Regard,
Mr. Steven Charpman.

Mobile: +229 93 89 05 99.
Contact E-mail: steve_charpman002@yahoo.com

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam