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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "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.
  • +22993694241 (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.
  • dr_edwilliams05@yahoo.de (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Edward Williams <edywills44@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <dr_edwilliams05@yahoo.de>
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 19:26:44 +0100
Subject: From;Dr.Edward Williams:----Please Reply Urgently.



FROM THE DESK OF DR.EDWARD WILLIAMS, ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING DEPT MANAGER, CONTINENTAL TRUST BANK-COTONOU, REPUBLIC OF BENIN,WEST AFRICA. PRIVATE EMAIL:ADDRESS;dr_edwilliams05@yahoo.de PRIVATE PHONE;+229-93694241 Dear Friend, I am Dr.Edward Williams the manager of Accounting and Auditing dept at the CONTINENTAL TRUST BANK-COTONOU,BENIN REPUBLIC.I am writing following the impressive information about you through an internet buisiness proposal.In my department I discovered an abandoned sum of $15m,Us dollars Fifteen million dollars)in an account that belongs to one of our foriegn customer who died along with his entirer family in 26 December2003.http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html) Since we got information about his death,we have been expecting hisnext of kin to come over and claim his money because we can not release it unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidlines and laws,but unfortunately I learnt that all his supposed next of kin or relation died along side with him at the plane clash leaving no body behind for the claim.It is therefore upon this discovery that I decided to make this business proposal to you and so that the bank will release the money to you as the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it and I don't want this money to go into the bank treasury as unclaimed bill. The banking law and guidline here stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after Five years,the money will be transfered into the bank treasure as unclaimed fund.The request of a foreigner as next of kin in this business is occassioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a Beninois cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.I agree that 35% of this money will be for you as a foreign partner,in respect to the provision of a foreign account, 5% will be set aside for expenses incurred during the business and 60% will be for me and my colleague.There after I will visit your country for disbursment according to the percentages indicated. Therefore,to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you as arrange,you must apply first to the bank as relation or next or kin of the deceased indicating your bank name, your bank account and location where in the money will be remitted, your private telephone and fax number is highly needed for easy and effective communication.Upon receipt of your reply,i will send to you by fax or email the text of the application. I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is hicth-free and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required arrangements have been made for the transfer.You should contact me immediately as soon as you receive this letter on my private email address above.Trusting to hear from you immediately. Yours faithfully, Dr.Edward Williams.
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam