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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
  (+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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lome togo" (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.
  • +2289301530 (Togo, 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.
  • johnsama_bc@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: john sama <johnsama_c@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <johnsama_tg@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:06:02 +0000
Subject: ECOWAS BANK LOME TOGO



FROM THE DESK OF PRINCE JOHN SAMABILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER, ECOWAS BANK LOME TOGO
WEST AFRICATel: +228-930-15-30PRIVATE MAIL johnsama_bc@hotmail.com

Dear Friend

With due respect and humility I am writing this proposal to you. I am the manager of bill and exchange at the foreign remittance department of ECOWAS BANK AU TOGO.

In my department, we discovered an abandoned sum of U.S$18.5M US dollars (Eighteen million five hundred thousand united states dollar only).In an account that belongs to Mr Burke Sean a United States Citizen and (ECOWAS BANKER) foreign customer who died with Korean Air Flight 801 Boeing 747 that was carrying 254 passengers when it crashed into the dense jungle early Wednesday August 5, 1997 morning three miles
(five kilometers) southwest of the airport. At least 225 people died.
Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to come forward and claim his money because we cannot release it unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines and policies but unfortunately we learnt that all his supposed next of kin or relation died alongside with him leaving nobody behind for the claims. It is therefore upon this discovery that I have decided to make this business proposal to you to transact this DEAL with you and to act as the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming forth and l don't want this money to go into the Bank treasury as unclaimed Bill.

According to our Banking policies and guideline here which stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after six years, the money will automatically be transferred into the Bank treasury as unclaimed fund. My request for a foreigner to act as next of kin in this business is by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a citizen of this country cannot stand or put claims as next of kin to a foreigner's Account.

l agreed to offer 25% of the total fund to you, for your assistance, to act as the next of Kin to the foreigner and provide an account where this fund will be remitted, 5% will be for reimbursement of any expenses incurred during the execution of the transaction. Thereafter, I and my family will visit your country for disbursement and for investment in your country. Therefore to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you as arranged, you must apply first to the bank as relation or next of kin of the deceased.
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 transaction is hitch 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.
Hope to hear from you immediately.
For privacy please reply to :
Yours faithfully, PRINCE JOHN SAMA
00228-930-15-30
ECOWAS BANK TOGO
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam