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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand american 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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
  • "foreign remittance department" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "madam_grace_zongo05 Gazeta.pl" <madam_grace_zongo05@gazeta.pl>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:05:53 +0100
Subject: FROM MADAM GRACE/ URGENT REPLY!!!!


*FROM THE DESK OF* *MADAM GRACE ZONGO*
*BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER *
*FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT. *
*BANK OF AFRICA (BOA) *
*OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO .*
*MOBILE PHONE/ +226/78/87/92/56*.

*Dearest One! , *
* *
*I am the manager of Bill and Exchange at the foreign Remittance Department
of BANK OF AFRICA(BOA) here in Burkina - Faso. I got your contacts in
INTERNET SEARCH, After much consideration i decided today to write you since
I cannot be able to see you face to face at first.*
**
* I will like you to take your time to read this mail carefully. I did not
mean to embarrass you with my Business Proposal but I seriously need your
Assistance For the betterment of our life's. Please this transaction is
confidential and 100% Risk Free and it requires urgency.*
**
*In My Department I discovered An Abandoned Sum of $12.5m usd ( TWELVE
MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND AMERICAN DOLLARS) In an account that Belongs
to one of our Foreign Customer Who Died Along with his entire family at the
THE WORD TRADE CENTER on september 11 .2001 AMERICA ATTACK.*
**
*Since we got information about his death the bank has been expecting his
next of kink tp come over and claim his money becuase we cannot release it
unless some Body applie for it as the next of kin or relaction to the
Deceased as indicated in our Banking Guidlines and Laws, but unfortunately
we leart that all his supposed next of kin or relactions Died Alongside With
him At the Same Day 11sept 2001 Attack In USA.*
**
*The Owner of this Account is LATE MR JOSEPH F. GRILLO . He is the Manager*
* Of petrol chemical service, A Chemical Engineer by Profession. He died in
world trade center as a victim of the September 11,2001 Incident that befall
the United State of America , the bank has made series of efforts to contact
any of the **relatives to claim this money but without success, *

*I now decided to make this business proposal to you and release the money
to you as the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety
and**subsequent
disbursement since nobody is coming for it and I don't want this money to go
into the bank** treasury as unclaimed Fund.*
**
*The banking law and guidine here stipulates **that if such money remained
unclaimed after Seven* *years, the money* *will be tranfered into the bank
treasurey as unclaimed Fund I therefore agree that 40% **of this money will
be for you as foreigner partner, in respect to the provision of a foreign
account, 10% will be set aside for expenses incured during the business and
50% would be for me. There after I will visit your country for disbursement
according to the percentages indicated. Therefore, To enable the immediate
transfer of this fund to you as arranged, you must apply first to the bank
as relation or next of kin to the deceased indicating your bank name, your
bank account number, your private telephone and fax number for easy and
effective communication and location where in the money will be remitted. *
**
*I will not fail to bring to your notice that this transaction is hitch-free
and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required
arrangements have been made for the transfer. You should contact me
immediately as soon as you recieve this letter by my mobile phone number
+226/78/87/92/56*.*. **Trusting to hear from you immediately. *
**
*Yours faithfully, *
*Madam Grace Zongo*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam