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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:
  • "top secret" (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: "MACLOED WILLIAMS" <mac22williams@ig.com.br>
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:19:26 +0100
Subject: Can I trust You ?


FROM = MR MACLOED WILLIAMS,
ADDRESS= 12 MAYFLOWER CRESCENT,
ESSEX NORTH-LONDON.

HELLO,

I am contacting you today for a profitable business prosposal. My name is
MACLOED WILLIAMS .
I am a personal secretary to late MR ANDREAS SCHNEIDER. ANDREAS SCHNEIDER
was an estate and property magnate from Germany but resident in United
Kingdom.
ANDREAS SCHNEIDER died recently in a plane crash with the whole of his
family in a world tour cruise.

Apart from being his personal secretary I was also his confidant . I was
therefore in a position to know all his Financial transactions as he trusted
me .
LATE MR ANDREAS SCHNEIDER had a deposit of usd$18.5 million with a famous
security and finance company here which i want you to help me receive and
transfer into your bank account after which i will join you over in your
country for sharing and investment as you may direct me.

IF you agree to assist me ,I will give you all the details of the
transaction and the process of receiving the funds because you will act as
the next of kin to LATE MR ANDREAS SCHNEIDER. The percentage is negociable
as we will agree and you will keep my share pending when i jion you over in
your
country when the transfer is completed for investment.
I am doing this because if the security company discovers that Mr. ANDREAS
and all his relations are dead ,they will turn over the money to government
and this will not help me.
Please note that there is no risk in this transaction as no relation of Mr.
ANDREAS is alive today and the security firm does not know he is dead yet.
You will assume the next of kin to Mr Andreas since i have the duty to
provide you with the letters of administration to empower you as his next of
kin. Pls. note that this is a top secret and do reply this message soonest
so we can commence action immediately.

Yours sincerely,
MACLOED WILLIAMS.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam