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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
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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:
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "greater london" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Robert Blanc" <dr.robertblanc@live.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:11:54 +0400
Subject: ASSOCIATES



From:Dr.Robert Blanc
I am Dr.Robert Blanc From Harlsden, North West London , here
in England. I work for Natwest Bank Corporation London. I
am writing you from my office that will be of an imense
benefit to both of us. In my department,being the assistant
manager (Greater London Regional Office), I discovered an
abandoned sum of $16.4 million USA Dollars (Sixteen Million
four Hundred and Ten Thousand United States Dollars) in an
account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Late
Mr.Thompson Morrison American citizen who unfortunately
lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight
261 which crashed on January 31 2000, including his wife and
only daughter.

The choice of contacting you is aroused from the
geograpgical nature of where you live, particularly due to
the sensivity of the transaction and the confidentiality
herein. Now our bank has been waiting for any of the
relatives to come-up for the claim but nobody has done
that.I personally has been unsuccessful in locating the
relatives for 2 years now, I seek your consent to present
you as the next of kin /Will Beneficiary to the deceased so
that the proceeds of this account valued at $16.4 Million
Dollars can be paid to you.

This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages,60%
to me and 40% to you. I have secured all necessary legal
documents that can be used to back up this claim we are
making. All i need is to fill in your names to the ducuments
and legalise it in the court here to prove you as the
legitimate beneficiary. All I require now is your honest
co-operation, Confidentiality and Trust to enable us see
this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be
executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect
you from any breach of the law.

Please,provide me the following: as we have 5 days to run
it through. this is very very URGENT PLEASE.

1. Full Name
2. Your Telephone Number
3. Your Contact Address.

Having gone through a methodical search, I decided to
contact you hoping that you will find this proposal
interesting. Please on your confirmation of this message and
indicating your interest will furnish you with more
information. Endeavor to let me know your decision rather
than keep me waiting.

Regards,
Dr.Robert Blanc

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam