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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• 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:
  • "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 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • asq.tom.poker@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: info me<info_me1@freenet.de>
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:26:39 +0100
Subject: Dearest Friend


Dearest Friend,
I am barrister Tom Poker, a solicitor at law. Iam the
personal attorney to a national of your country, who has lived in GHANA
for the past ten years, and whom here in after shall be referred to as
my client. On the 25th of April 2006, my client, his wife and their
three children were involved in a fatal car accident .All occupants of
the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives, my client was one of them.
Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any
of my clients extended relatives this has also proved unsuccessful.
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you. I
have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and properties
left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the commercial bank where this huge deposits were
lodged. the commercial bank where the deceased had an account valued at
6 million 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.The proceeds of this account valued at 6 million dollars can be
paid to you, as my Clients next of kin, and then we can share the amount
on a mutual agreed percentage. All legal documents to back up your
claims as the deceased next of kin will be provided. All I require is
your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee
that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will
protect you from any breach of the law. Please get in touch with me to
enable us discuss further about this transaction. You may forward your
direct number to me so that we can discuss. please send your reply to my
personal email address asq.tom.poker@gmail.com Best regards,Barrister
Tom Poker (esq.
Unbegrenzter Speicher, Top-Spamschutz, 120 SMS und
eigene E-MailDomain
inkl.
http://office.freenet.de/dienste/emailoffice/produktuebersicht/power/mail/index.html

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam