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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
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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:

• 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)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "foreign payment department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • jemack101@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Ofotube Lucy <mkut01@workmail.co.za>
Reply-To: jemackprivate@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:10:50 +0100
Subject: The British Linen Bank Limited.

The British Linen Bank Limited.
HBOS plc PO Box No. 5 The Mound
Edinburgh EH1 1YZ
DL-TELEPHONE: 00-44 7011130421
PR-EMAIL: jemack101@yahoo.com

Good day, I know this will come to you as a surprise but the need to involve a reliable and honest person to transfer out 6,800,000.00 (Six Million, Eight hundred thousand British Pounds Sterling) from my employers (The British Linen Bank Limited) has made me to seek your assistance believing that you are the right person that will aid me in this deal.
I am Mr. John E. Mack, non-executive director of HBOS plc i was appointed on 1 May 2007 (The British Linen Bank Limited) There is an Account opened in this Bank in 2000 and since 2005, nobody has operated this Account again, after going through some old files in the records, I discovered that the Owner of the Account is Late.
The owner of this Account is Late Mr. Martin Oram, A Foreigner and investor by profession. He died in an Auto Crash and no other person knows about this Dormant Account or anything concerning it and the Account has no beneficiary and i want to inherit these funds for my private use but as a non-executive director, I cannot lay claims on the funds by my self and that is why i have contacted you to use your name as the next of kin/beneficiary to the Dormant Account and transfer these funds for my private use.
I want you to stand as the Next Of Kin so that i will use my High-Rank position here in this Bank to convince other co-staffs to effect Legal approvals and onward Transfer of this money to your Nominated Account as the Next of Kin/Beneficiary of the funds with appropriate clearance from probate registry & Foreign Payment Department. I will destroy all the documents concerning this transaction immediately the funds are transferred to your nominated Account leaving no trace of the transfer to any place and apply for my resignation as this will enable me come over to your Country to collect my share and invest a good part of it on projects you will advise me as lucrative in your Country.

I will take 60% and you shall take 40% of the total sum hoping that the sharing ratio is accepted by you. I am desperately waiting for your urgent response.

Regards,

Mr. John E. Mack.



>From the desk of Lucy O. personal assistant to Mr. John .E. Mack

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam