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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million 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)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "MICHAEL COX" <mcox.copbankplc@fastwebmail.it>
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 02:47:15 +0100
Subject: Confidential Business Relationship


*From: Michael Cox,
Co-operative Bank PLC,
P.O. Box 101,
1 Balloon Street,
Manchester, M60 4EP
UK.*

*Sir,*

*Confidential Business Relationship*

*Good Day! I write with due respect to your personality. My name is Michael
Cox an accountant and staff of Co-Operative Bank of London, Here in
Manchester Head office London, United Kingdom. *

*Our late customer named Hassan Khalid from your country once made a fixed
deposit amount of 22Million pounds (GBP) with us and did not declare any
next of kin in any of his paper work at the time of this deposit. He later
died in a mysterious circumstance and our concerted efforts to trace his
family/relations to claim this fund
over these years have proved abortive. *

*Consequently, I would want you as a foreigner from his country and bearing
the same surname to stand as the next of kin and beneficiary to transfer
this fund out of my bank into your private bank account as it is in the
banking/financial laws of United Kingdom, to repatriate such fund if
unclaimed after a specified number of years. *

*MY PROPOSITION:
I propose that at the successful transfer of this fund into your private
account, the sharing formula should be50% to me and the rest 50% to you in
appreciation of your corporation and trust. *

*Should you be interested please send me your:
1.) Full Name
2.) Current residential address.
3.) Direct telephone number. *

*All I need from you is your readiness, trustworthiness and dedication.
Please email me back so that we can begin arrangements and I would give you
more information on how we would handle this venture. I guarantee it to be
100% risk-free since the process is going to be legitimate as you will
authentically be made the Next of Kin to the late customer's deposit. *

*This mail is strictly person and not official. I expect you to treat it as
confidential as possible.*

*Regards, *

*Michael Cox,
Co-operative Bank PLC,
P.O. Box 101,
1 Balloon Street,
Manchester, M60 4EP
UK.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam