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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million british 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)
  • "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)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Mounir Mounir" <mounir4@biz.by>
Reply-To: mmounir@hotmail.fr
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:37:06 +0000
Subject: Business Offer From the desk of M.MOUNIR..............


This Letter is From the desk of M.MOUNIR,



Hello,



How are you doing with your entire family? Hope fine, My name is M.MOUNIR
working with AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB) OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO.
During our periodic auditing this year, I discovered a dormant accounts with
holding balance of (£5,000.000.00) {Five million British Pounds Starlings}
this account has not been operated for the past years. As at this moment, I
am constrained to issue more details about this business until your response
is received.



I will be happy to work this business deal out together with you, if you are
capable to keep TOP SECRET and CONFIDENTIAL towards this deal. I need strong
assurance that you will never let me down, if I transfer this fund to your
account, and If you know that you are capable & reliable to handle this
business transaction, REPLY and more details will be send to you after
receiving your full REPLY and the Details below: -



1, Full names

2, Private Cell phone number,

3, Current residential addresses.

4, Country/City.



Meanwhile, for your smoothness of this transaction, I will offer you 50% of
the total sum of (£5,000.000.00) for your co-operation in this business
transaction, while 50% will be my own shear which is 50%/50% equal.

Thanks as am waiting to hear from you sooner,

Yours Sincerely,

Mounir.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam