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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
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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:
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "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.
  • +22993813245 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Audu Winker <auduwinker12@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <audu_winker_c@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2007 12:40:41 +0100
Subject: RE:GET BACK TO ME



Auditing and Accounting UnitForeign Operations DepartmentCredit Bank Benin,Cotonou BranchRepublic of Benin.Direct Tel:+229 93813245 Greetings! After much consideration on this matter,I have decided to contact you, believing that you will protect this transaction and give it the attention it deserves. I am pleased to be in contact with you. My name is Dr.Audu Winker, an accountant & the auditor general of the Credit Bank Benin here in the Republic of Benin. I wish to know if we can work together.I would like you to stand as the next of kin to my deceased client who made a fixed deposit of USD4.2M Dollars in our bank. He died without any registered next of kin designate and as such his funds now have an open beneficiary mandate and I seek your good partnership & co-operation to do this.I will guide you on every information that may be required of you from our bank for us to claim this fund for our mutual disbursement. For your information,this money will be paid into your bank account for us to share in the ratio of 45% for me and 45% for you while 5% will be set aside for any defray expenses that may arise in the process of transfering this fund into your nominated bank account you wish to receive it and 5% to the motherless and the needy in your country.For further details of the Plane Crash,Please Visit http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html If you are interested,Please do let me know by forwarding to me your direct contact telephone and fax number for easier communication,oral discussion and more clarification. Please do contact me as soon as possible so that I can give you comprehensive details on what we are to do. I urgently hope to get your positive response as soon as possible. Best regards.
Dr.Audu Winker.
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam