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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. )
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "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)
  • "lagos" (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.
  • +2347030307928
• 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.
  • collinsgood@k.ro (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Goodvine Collins <colivine21@live.com>
Reply-To: <collinsgood@k.ro>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:25:02 -0800
Subject: Dear Friend,



Dear Friend,Firstly, I sincerely apologize for breaking into your privacy, however I have decided to contact you through this medium due to the urgency of this proposed business transaction. I got your contact over the Internet during my search for assistance in this mutual beneficial business transaction. I must first solicit your strictest confidentiality in this transaction. This is by virtue of its nature as being utterly CONFIDENTIAL and \ldblquote TOP SECRET\rdblquote . Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, considering the fact that we have not meet each other before, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day. I am an accountant with AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK., My name is Mr.Goodvine Collins. I am the Personal Account officer to Engineer. Andrew Wilson, a National of your country, who is a contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES,VICTORIA ISLAND LAGOS. Herein after shall be referred to as our customer.On 30 JAN 2000,Eng Andrew, his wife and their three children were involved in the Kenya Airways flight with registration number 5Y-BEN which departed from Nairobi to destination Lagos and all the passengerson-board and the flight crew, including his family died in this fatal aircrash on 30 JAN 2000. Since then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended Relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged,particularly the AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK.,Where the deceased had an account valued at about ($10 Million US Dollars) has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at ($10 Million US Dollars) can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money 50% to me and 40% to you. While 10% for unforeseen bottle necks we might incure in this transaction an attorney will be contracted to help us revalidate and notarize all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. To commence this transaction, I require you to immediately indicate your interest and enclose your private contact telephone & fax numbers, full names & address to enable the process of this transaction in your favour and to effect the necessary approvals.All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and I from any breach of the law.Please I await your possitive response to enable us discuse further.Contact me with this email address,collinsgood@k.ro, or through my mobile phone number +234 70 30307928Best regards, Mr.Goodvine Collins
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam