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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "money orders " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +447031941095 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +22997614987 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Douglas Owen." <europ_monitorng1@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <european_monitoring@myway.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 12:38:22 +0100
Subject: Contact this office for your fund



European Monitoring Unit 42 Parkway StreetsSW14 London,United KingdomTel/fax: 44-703-194-1095
Sir,
We want to bring to your notice the resolution of European Union security on Financial Matters dated 26th July, 2007.

In view of the latest development on rapid movement of wired funds and financial instruments such as certified bank Cheque and international bank drafts, Money orders and ATM cards through Europe as passage route, the European Union has in accordance with enabling laws set up a monitoring centre in London, United Kingdom.
The body is mandated to collate all financial instruments that were intercepted by European Security agents in all European Countries gateways that are members of the European Union. Most of this Transfers and Financial Instruments originates from African, Asia and Middle East and we have been mandated to investigate their sources and where we find such financial instruments from genuine source and not related to terrorism links and not in anyway related with money laundering, we will communicate the beneficiary for official claim after harmonisation .
Inline with this, we have investigated your fund that is forwarded to this office and have found out that it is not related to the above mentioned vices. You are therefore requested as part of the harmonisation process to reconfirm to this office your latest office or home address or bank account so that we can harmonise, process and subsequently credit you or deliver to your address. Also your telephone numbers are needed.
Your earliest response is important as it will afford us the opportunity to treat with dispatch numerous cases we have at hand including yours.
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Douglas E. Owen.Tel/fax: 44-703-194-1095 African office: Haden House, 4th-6th floor, Cotonou .Tel: 00229 97614987

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam