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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)
  • "huge amount 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)
  • "hundred thousand united state 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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "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)
  • "you will be entitled to 30%" (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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "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.
  • hcosteren@mail.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: <harrycosteren@mail.ru>
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 23:41:46 -0100
Subject:


Guten Tag,

Auch wenn dieser Brief Sie sicherlich |berraschen wird, nehmen Sie sich
bitte einen Moment Zeit um ihn zu lesen. Es ist sehr wichtig. Ich bin Herr
Harry Costeren und ich arbeite bei einer Finanzhaus in den Niederlanden. .

Wdhrend unseres letzten Treffens und \berpr|fung der Bankkontos hat meine
Abteilung ein untdtiges Konto mit einer riesigen Geldsumme, US$ 8,500,000.00
(Acht Million f|nfhundert tausend US Dollar) gefunden, das einem unseren
gestorbenen Kunden gehvrt:Herr Ludwig Fritz aus Zud Afrika.

Er ist gestorben und hat keine Beg|nstigten hinterlassen. So dass die Fonds
auf seinem Konto untdtig geblieben sind, ohne jeden Anspruch oder Aktivitdt
f|r einige Zeit schon.
Wegen unseren Finanzhaus vorschriften kann nur ein Ausldnder als ndchster
Verwandten stehen und deshalb habe ich mich entschlossen Sie zu
kontaktieren, um mit Ihnen zusammen zu arbeiten um diese untdtigen Fonds zu
reaktivieren. Und so jede negative Entwicklung oder sogar den endg|ltigen
Verlust der Fonds abzuwenden.

In Namen meiner Kollegen suchen ich Ihre Erlaubnis als ndchster Verwandte
unseres verstorbenen Kunden zu stehen, so dass die Fonds freigestellt und
auf ihr Konto |berwiesen werden kvnnen. Sie w|rden zum ndchsten Verwandten
des Beg|nstigten werden und die Fonds werden in Ihre Verantwortung
freigestellt werden. Wir d|rfen mit ausldndischen Kontos nicht arbeiten,
das kvnnte in der Zeit der \berweisung auffallen.
Ich arbeite noch bei dieser Finanzhaus, das ist der eigentliche Grund, dass
ich eine zweite Partei oder Person benvtige, um mit mir zu arbeiten und
Anforderungen als ndchster Verwandte zu schicken und auch um ein Bankkonto
bereit zu stellen, oder eines bei einer neuen Bank zu ervffnen, um die
untdtige Fonds zu erhalten.

Am Ende der Transaktion werden Ihnen 30% Prozent zustehen, zur Seite gelegt
und 70% werden f|r meine Kollegen und mich sein. Was ich von Ihnen verlange
ist als ndchster Verwandte des Verstorbenen zu stehen.

Ich besitze alle notwendigen Dokumente um die Transaktion erfolgreich zu
verwirklichen. Weitere Informationen werden Sie so bald ich Ihre positive
Antwort bekomme erhalten.
Ich schlage Ihnen vor so bald wie mvglich mir zu antworten. Wir haben nicht
viel Zeit diese ungl|ckliche Situation zu dndern und ich bef|rchte, dass
ohne Ihre Hilfe alles verloren gehen wird. Wegen der Vertraulichkeit bitte
ich Sie mir auf meine privaten Email Adresse mit folgenden Angaben zu
antworten: Vollstdndiger Name,Adresse, Telefon- und Faxnummer.

In Erwartung Ihrer Antwort, verbleibe ich,

Mit freundlichen Gruessen,
Herr Harry Costeren.
hcosteren@mail.ru



***************************************************************************
******

Dear Friend,

I hope this letter finds you well.
While this email will definitely be coming to you as a surprise, please
take a moment of your time to read this. It is very important.
I am Mr.Harry Costeren a treasury officer working in a Financial Securities
Firm in The Netherlands. However I got your address through
the International web directory online. During our recent reconciliation
and auditing of our clients/customers account, my department discovered
an over dormant account with a huge amount of money valued at US
$8,500,000.00 (Eight million, five hundred thousand United State dollars
Only) that belongs to one of our late customers; Mr. Williams, from England.

He passed away (dead /deceased)leaving no next of kin as beneficiary to his
money in our firm.All this past years the money have been dormant in his
account
without any claim or activity on it for quite some time.
Due to our company!s regulations,It is only a nominated next of kin that
can stand and receive the money from our firm because already our firm is
waiting for someone who will come for the claims.
Infact I have laid down plan to introduce a trusted person who will stand
to claim and receive the money as the next of kin to late Mr Jerry
Williams.Based on this,that is why I decided to contact you to collaborate
and work along withn me for us to present you as the next of kin.
On behalf of my colleagues and I we now seek your permission to have you
stand in as next of kin to our late customer so that the funds will be
released and paid into your account.You would become the beneficiary's next
of kin to receive the US$8.5 Million into your Bank account.
We are not allowed to operate a foreign account and that would eventual
raise an eyebrow during the time of transfer. I still work in this firm,this
is the actual reason why I required a second party or company who will work
with me forward claims as the next of kin (you) and also provide a bank
account or to set up a new bank account immediately to receive the which
formerly belong to late Mr Jerry Williams
UPon conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to 30% of the
total fund, while 10% will be set aside to take care of expenses on both
sides that may arise during the time of transfer and also for
telephone bills, and the remaining 60% will be for me and my colleague.
What I want from you is for you to act as the deceased next of kin. I have
in my possession, all the necessary Documents to successfully accomplish the
operation. Further information will be given to you as soon as I receive
your positive response.
I suggest you get back to me as soon as possible stating your wish to work
along with us in this proposed busines transaction. We don't have alot of
time to correct this unfortunate situation and I am afraid that without your
help it will all be lost forever. For confidentiality please contact me on
my personal email address(hcosteren@mail.ru) with
the following your data: Full names, Address, Telephone number and Fax
number.
I look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,

Mr.Harry Costeren

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam