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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "from the desk of" (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)
  • "million us 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" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "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.
  • +22995867954 (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.
  • ramadanabdu-5@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: ramadan.abdu04@zipmail.com.br
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:46:44 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?FROM=20THE=20DESK=20OF=20MR=2E=20RAMADAN=20ABDU?=

FROM THE DESK OF MR. RAMADAN ABDU
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER,
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
COTONOU, BENIN REPUBLIC.
TELEPHONE: +229 95 86 79 54
PRIVATE EMAIL: ramadanabdu-5@myway.com

Good day,

I am the manager of bill and exchange at the foreign remittance departmentof
African Development bank (ADB). I came to know you in my private search
for a reliable and reputable person to handle this ConfidentialTransaction,which
involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign account requiring
maximum confidence.

An investor (our costumer)who died without naming a next of kin to his fund
in my bank.The amount in question is a about $25.M(Twenty-Five million US
dollars) and banking regulation/legislation in Benin Republic demand that
I notify the fiscal authorities after a statutory time.The above set of
facts underscores my reason of writing and making the following proposing
to present you as the next of kin.you can view the site for more details:


(news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm)

I have all the legal and Banking details of our deceased client that will
facilitate our putting you forward as the claimant/beneficiary of the funds
and ultimately transfer the money to any bank account nominated by you.I
am prepared to compensate you with a 30% share of the total funds for your
efforts.10 % will be set aside for expenses incurred during thebusiness
and 60 % would be for me and my colleagues. Please contact me immediately
whether or not you are interested in this deal.If you are not,it will enable
me scout for another foreign partner to carry out this deal.But where you
are interested, contact me through my email address for more details as
time is of the essence in this business.

You should contact me immediately as soon as you receive this letter.
Trusting to hear from you immediately.

Yours faithfully,

Mr. Ramadan Abdu,
Bill and exchange manager,
African Development bank ADB

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam