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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:
  • "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)
  • ",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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "JIM HARRY" <jimharry21@unimail.mn>
Reply-To: jim_harry11@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 06:56:52 -0800
Subject: REPLY BACK TO ME


Attn
From The Auditor/Head of Department
Alpha Bank London
United Kingdom.

{Very Urgent Business Transaction}

Dear Partner,

In order to transfer out (Twenty Five-million pounds sterling) from our bank
here i have the courage to look for a reliable and honest person who will be
capable for this important transaction, believing that you will never let me
down either now or in future. I am Mr.Jim Harry.the auditor and head of
computing department of a bank here in London, United Kingdom.There is an
account opened in this bank in 1995 and since my inception into office in
2001, nobody has operated on this account again, after going through some
old files, I discovered that if i do not remit this money out urgently, it
ill be forfeited for nothing.

How the money came about:The owner of thisaccount was Mr. John Hughes who
was a foreigner and the manager of Petrochemical service here in London, a
chemical engineer by profession and he died since 1995.And then, since
2001,nobody nows about this account or anything concerning it, the account
has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that his
company does not know anything about this account and the amount involved
is(25,000,000.00)pounds sterling.

I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money can not be
approved to any local bank here in London, but can only be approved to any
foreign account because the money is pounds sterling? And the former owner
of the account is John Hughes and he was a foreigner too.

Finally, at the conclusion of this business, you will be given 35% of the
total amount,60% will be for me ,while 5% will be for expenses both parties
might have incurred during the process of this transaction. Please you
should include your phone and fax number for easily communications.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr.Jim Harry.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam