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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)
  • "trust is our watchword" (the question is not whether they can trust you, but whether you have any reason to trust this person or anyone this person tells you to contact)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "the consignment " (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)
  • "trunk box" (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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
• 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.
  • +22993907681 (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.
  • alf212@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Alfred Thomas" <t.alfred1@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <alf212@myway.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 12:18:49 +0300
Subject: Good Day My Dear!!



Dear Friend,

I know this email will come to you as a surprise especially when you do not know me and considering the huge sum of money involved which could make any one apprehensive at first.

Let me start by introducing my self to you.

I am Mr. Alfred E.Thomas, Secretary to late Mr. Alan Williams,who died alongside his entire family in the Tanzania safari plane crash.

Before his death,he made a deposit of the sum of £7.5m (Seven million Five hundred thousand British Pounds Sterling) with the Diamond Security Company in West africa. You will read more about his death through the below web page.http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/20/wsaf20.xml

He formerly owned a company which was once the biggest in the Manufacturing of Candles. He also own an importation company here in Africa which I am working with. My proposal to you is to file you in as his next of kin then have the funds which is deposited with the security company,in a Metallic Silver Coloured trunk box shipped in your favour since he died without no one to serve as the beneficiary.

I decided to sort for your assistance regarding the fact that since the Security company got information about his death,they have been expecting someone to contact them as his Beneficiary to the consignment, as they had already contacted me as his aid,who served as his representative on the deposite of the consignment,to help them provide the right beneficiary to his consignments still in their possession,But unfortunately, Alan Williams died along side his Beneficiary, his wife Sue and close family relatives, leaving nobody behind for the claim of his consignment still with the security company.

It is therefore upon this discovery that I personaly decided to place you as the right beneficiary to the consignment so that the security company will have it shipped to you without knowing the actual content of the consignment so you should avoid any delays.

Have it in mind that the only people aware of this my email are You and I,So on no circumstance or condition you relate this information to anyone else,Let it be a secret we have to take to our grave.

When replying to this email, kindly send your Full Names Contact Addresses and direct Telephone/Fax number for further discussion.

Honesty and Trust is our watchword, and for your assistance, I have also decided that we would try and put all efforts together to see that this consignment gets to you.Thereafter,I will have to visit your country or otherwise so that we will be able to share the money as we personally will be going home with 40% each of us while the remaining 20% will go the Charity. I will be waiting for your urgent response.

Kindly respond with your direct contact informations to my personal email address and call me on my direct line for further discussion if you will really want to transact this Business with me,Thanks.

Best Regards,Mr. Alfred E.ThomasPh #: +229 93 90 76 81.Email: alf212@myway.com


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam