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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
  (+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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • mohammad_hamzat_045@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mohammad hamzat" <mohammad_hamzat00001@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: mohammad_hamzat_045@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 17:50:24 +0000
Subject: From.: Mr. Mohammad Hamzat


*From.: Mr. Mohammad Hamzat
Bill and Exchange manager,
Bank Of Africa Ouagadougou Burkina Faso.*
**
*My dear,*
**
*I chose to reach you through this medium because it is the fastest and most
reliable way of communication, as I wish to sollicite for your urgent
assistance in what I strongly believe will be of great benefit to both of
us.*
**
*I am Mr.Mohammad Hamzat, an Accounts Manager with BANK OF AFRICA in Burkina
Faso. The issue I am presenting to you is a case of one of my late
customer,a national of USA who died in a plane crash leaving an unclaimed
treasury bills (Bonds) with my bank.*
**
*In 2003, my late customer invested in treasury bill bonds here in my Bank
in Ouagadougou totaling 12.3 million USA Dollars ($12,300,000.00) which was
due to be collected in 2005 with accrued dividends.*
**
*On my yearly appraisal of my customers at the turn of every year, I
discovered that this fixed deposit remained overdue for retrieval.*
**
*I had put up series of mails and bank notifications to him which were sent
Back uncollected.*
*I later discovered that he passed on along with his wife and his relations
In a tragic air crash in June 2003.*
**
*Since his death in 2003, I have managed his account expecting any of his
extended relatives to come forward to claim his money but all attempts to
trace his relatives over the years has been fruitless since he did not
declare any of his relatives information in his banking records with us.*
**
* Added to this, professional ethics obligates us to act with extreme
confidentiality when dealing with clients accounts of this type.*
**
*According to the banking law, the money will be Bequeathed to the
government if it remains unclaimed with the next couple months.*
**
*However, I don't belong to that school of thought which proposes that The
fortunes of unlucky people be given to the government and I am fully
convinced that no one would turn up to execute the letter of Administration
to claim his funds before the next 2 months.*
*Hence, I decided to contact you to come in as the next of kin to my late
customer so that the funds totalling $12,300,000.00 can then be transferred
to your nominated bank account in your country within 20 working days after
we have filed in your claims transfer application to the bank.*
**
*I will prepare every operation that will assist you to claim the funds As
the next of kin and everything will be left between you and me.*
**
* The Share would be 40% for you and 60% for me.*
*Again, I feel that you may be apprehensive and consider this amount too big
for you to defend.*
*It does not matter, as there are documents to back it up.*
*This transaction is risk free and as the most senior account manager with
the bank be rest assured that all documents to enable you get this fund as
the next of kin will be carefully worked.*
**
* Do not be bothered that you are not related in any way to my late customer
as I am in position to affix your name as the next of kin.*
**
*Kindly send your reply enclosing your Full Names, Mailing Address and Phone
Number to my private email address for confidentiality, to enable me talk
to you before I send you the certificate of deposit and other relevant
information relating to this fund transfer.*
**
*I need not emphasize the confidentiality of this issue and I therefore
appeal to you not discuss this request with anybody, even if you decline to
take full advantage of this great and urgent opportunity in my bank.*
**
*I look forward to your quick reply by this email :*
* *
*mohammad_hamzat_045@yahoo.fr*

** *Sincerely,*
*Mr. Mohammad Hamzat.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam