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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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)
  • "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • brownsam168564@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "john ola" <olajohn5@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:40:21 -0700
Subject: URGENT EREPLY


FROM THE DESK OF Mr.BROWN .F. WOOD
BARIMORE BRANCH,
CITY BANK BENIN REPUBLIC. Plc.

ATTENTION,

I came to know about you in my private search for a reliable
person/company to handle a confidential transaction unbehalf of my
colleagues and my self I felt you can be trusted to handle a transaction of
this maginitude.One of our esteemed customers citizen of your country Mr.
TARANTINO '66 years of age and Director of Gulf Atlantic oil company had
in our Bank the sum of us$45.5m in a domiciliary account. His wife, Mrs.
Helga TARANTINO as the next of kin. Unfortunately, both of them died in
plane crash involving concord AF4590 in Gonesse,France. Efforts had been
made by the
management of my Bank in BENIN to contact any of the deceased children but
to no avail, as we were made to understand that the couple had no child
owing to
the skeletal information available to the Bank, it has so far been
impossible to reach any of the relatives. The option left for the Bank
management is to declare the deceased account dormant and revert the fund to
trading on behalf of and in the interest of the Bank in order to avoid this
development, my
colleagues and I now seek your permission to have you stand as a distant
relative/next of kin to Mr. and Mrs. A.TARANTINO so that the funds will be
released to you. All documents and proofs to enable you get the funds will
be carefully worked out on our receiving your consent to this proposal, we
would immediately obtain for an order of mandamus from the Federal High
court of justice on your behalf recognizing you as a bonafide relative to
the deceased and subsequently apply for the release of the funds to you as
the beneficiary, through the central Bank of Benin Republic. May I assure
you that this transaction is 100% risk free, as we have taken care of all
necessary modalities to ensure a hitch free transaction. To this effect my
colleagues and I have agreed to compensate you with 40% of the total sum
us$45.5m for your kind assistance i.e.provisions of a nominated foreign
account to
accommodate the fund for us. If this proposal is acceptable to you, please
contact me strictly through my e-mail address. or my Alternative email:
brownsam168564@gmail.com
I will discuss with you in details when I receive your
response. Please include the following in your reply;
(1.)Your Name in full.
(2.)A reliable phone and Fax number
(3.)Occupation
I look forward to receiving your reply soon.
Yours faithfully
BROWN .F. WOOD

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam