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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "million 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "From Mr. Ahmed Taniju" <billexchange_ahmd1@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <billexchange_ahmedt1@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:23:41 +0000
Subject: Personal Letter - You were recommended.



FROM MR AHMED TANIJU, AUDIT AND ACCOUNTS UNIT / BILL & EXCHANGE,FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT, ECOBANK-INT B.P 359 LOME,REPUBLIC OF TOGO, WEST AFRICA. ATTN:
WITHDUE HONOUR AND RESPECT, I AM MR AHMED TANIJU,THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OFAUDIT AND ACCOUNTS UNIT,FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT.OF ECOBANKINTERNATIONAL HERE IN REPUBLIC OF TOGO IN WEST AFRICA. I WASSIMPLY INSPIRED AND MOTIVATED TO PICK YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS FROM THENUMEROUS LIST WITH A TOGOLAISE BUSINESS CONSULTANT WHO WORKS WITH THETOGOLAISE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY,ELDER JOHN KOFFI AND I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU FOR BENEFICIAL AND A 100% RISK-FREE BUSINESS TRANSACTION. DURINGOUR AUDITING AND INVESTIGATIONS IN THIS BANK,MY DEPARTMENT CAME ACROSSTHE SUM OF FOURTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS(US$14,000,000)ONLYBELONGING TO AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSMAN (Andreas Schranner) WHO DIEDALONG WITH HIS NEXT OF KIN IN THE 31 JULY 2000, INTO THE HOTELISSIMO.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

BEFOREOUR DISCOVERY TO THIS DEVELOPMENT,THERE WAS NO TRACE OF CLAIM FROM ANYPERSON AS THE FUND REMAINS DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK. ALTHOUGH,WEKEEP THIS INFORMATION SECRET WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION TO ENABLE US PUTCLAIMS AND TRANSFER THE SAID AMOUNT THROUGH A TRUSTWORTHY FRIENDOVERSEAS WHOM WE SHALL PRESENT TO THE BANK AS THE BONAFIDE NEXT-OF-KINTO THE DECEASED FOR A PROFITABLE AND SUCCESSFUL DEAL. INFACT,WECOULD HAVE DONE THIS DEAL ALONE BUT BECAUSE WE CIVIL SERVANTS ARE NOTLEGALLY ALLOWED TO OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT.AND IT WOULD EVENTUALLYRAISE EYE BROWS ON OUR SIDE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER,BECAUSE WEARE STAFF OF THE BANK. THESE ARE THE ACTUAL REASONS WE CONTACT YOU ASFOREIGN PARTNER WHO WILL FORWARD CLAIMS BY OUR DIRECTIVES AS THEBONAFIDE NEXT-OF-KIN WITH TOGOLAISE'S COURT AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM TO THEBANK AND ALSO PRESENT A FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THE MONEY WILL BERE-TRANSFERED INTO. MEANWHILE,ALL THE ARRANGEMENT TO PUTCLAIMS AS THE BONAFIDE NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE DECEASED,TO GET THE REQUIREDAPPROVAL AND TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT HAS BEEN PUTIN PLACE.THE DIRECTIVES AND THE NEEDED INFORMATION WILL BE RELAYEDTO YOU AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO BENEFITYOURSELF FROM THIS GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. ON CONCLUSIONOF THIS TRANSACTION,YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 25% OF THE TOTAL SUM ASGRATIFICATION. 5% OF THE TOTAL SUM WILL BE USED TO REINBURSE EXPENSESTHAT MIGHT ARISE FROM TELEPHONE BILLS AND OTHER EXPENSES DURING THETRANSACTION,WHILE 70% WILL BE FOR ME AND MY PARTNERS HERE. PLEASEYOU HAVE BEEN ADVICED TO KEEP TOP SECRET AS WE ARE STILL IN SERVICE ANDINTEND TO RETIRE FROM SERVICE AFTER WE CONCLUDE THIS DEAL WITH YOU. IWILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THIS BANK UNTIL YOUCONFIRM THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT.WE THEN COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FORSUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGES PREVIOUSLYINDICATED AND FOR INVESTMENT IN ANY COUNTRY YOU MAY ADVICE US TOO. ALL OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU. I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE STATING YOUR WISH IN THIS DEAL. YOURS FAITHFULLY, Mr. Ahmed TanijuAudit & Account Unit,
Ecobank-Int.
Lome-Togo
West Africa.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam