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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "million british pounds" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "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)
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: mark galatian <mr_mark_galatian3@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: mr_pune_galatian@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:36:21 -0800 (PST)
Subject: MR.Mark Galatian


P.O.BOX 3038,
57 VICTORIA STREET,
LONDON SW1H,
UNITED KINGDOM

Dear Friend, Please accept my sincere apologizes if my email does not meet your business or personal ethics. I am MR Mark Galatian, the Chief Auditor with NATWEST BANK PLC, LONDON-UK. One of our accounts with holding balance of £61,000,000 (Sixty One Million British Pounds) has been dormant and last operated several years ago.
I learnt on further discreet investigation that the depositor of the funds has passed away (dead) leaving no beneficiary to the account. Since then, nobody has done anything as regards the claiming of this money as he has no family member that has any knowledge of the existence of either the account or the funds. The bank will deliver this money to any foreigner with legal claims because the former depositor is a foreigner. I have confidently discussed this issue with the foreign operations manager of the bank and we have agreed to find a reliable foreign partner into whose bank account we can transfer this money for our mutual benefit.
The owner of this account was Mr.Rafik Hariri. Late Rafik Bahaa Edine Hariri (November 1944-February 14, 2005), married to Nazek Audi Hariri, was a Lebanese self-made billionaire and business tycoon, and was five times Prime Minister of Lebanon (1992-1998 and 2000-2004) before his last resignation from office on October 20, 2004. The late Rafik Hariri died on February 14, 2005 when explosives equivalent to around 300 kg of C4 were detonated as his motorcade drove past the Saint George Hotel in the Lebanese capital, for more information please log on to (http://www.hariri.info).

I am seeking your consent to present you as the next of kin to this late client So that th proceeds of this account shall be paid to you and then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed percentage of 40% for you and 60% for me and my partner. I will provide all the necessary information needed in order to claim this money. You can either provide us with an existing bank account or to set up a new account immediately to receive this money, even an empty a/c can serve to receive this money as long as you will remain honest to me till the end of this important business trusting in you and believing in God that you will never let me down when this money is transfered into your bank account.
This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is legitimate and does not originate from drug, money laundering, terrorism or any other illegal act. If you are interested, contact me via email indicating your full names or company or business name and contact address. Your direct telephone and fax numbers for effective communication. The name and address of the bank you will like us to deposit the money, the telephone, email and fax numbers of the bank, the account name and number etc. Everything has been arranged and I will send more information about the business transaction to you as soon as I hear from you. For obvious reasons, please keep the proposal top secret.

Best regards,
MR.Mark Galatian



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam