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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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:

• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states 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)
  • ",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 "dying merchant" 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.
  • williamsann77@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs Mary williams <williamsann@iol.cz>
Reply-To: williamsann77@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:55:38 GMT
Subject: READ AND GET BACK TO ME




Dear friend,



My name is Mrs. Mary-Ann Williams, a wife of late Mr.George Williams,an American Businessman based in West Indonesia. I got your contact through the listed postal address in your country. I lost my husband to theinternational disasterin West Indonesia (the Tsunami attack) and I am also in the hospital receiving treatment after the exposure to the hard conditions of the Tsunami. I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer .It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have onlyabout a few months to live,according to medical experts.

My Late husband and I before is death once asked members of his family to close one of ouraccounts and distribute the money which he had there tomcharity organization in Ethiopia and Somalia; they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I donot trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what we have left for them. The last of my money, which no one knows of is presently secured in a bank in Europe worth US$15,000,000.00(Fifteen million United States dollars only) and thiscould be released at short notice when a willing and acceptable beneficiary emerges. I want you to help mecollect this deposit and dispatched 80% (of the total funds) to charityorganizations in your country stating my name as the donor , While
20% is foryou as compensation for carrying out my instruction..

I will furnish you with more information upon your assurance and willingness to assist in ensuring that the funds are distributed as I have instructed. I want you to please furnish me with theinformation below via my private mail:williamsann77@gmail.com

Name infull:
Contact home
Address:
Tel/Fax#:
Age:
Martial Status,
Company name andaddress where you work:
Any proved of identity scanned

Upon the receipt of the above information I shall contact with my attorney to make a change of ownership in your name,giving you full righ to the funds and I will also furnish you withnecessary documents /contact information of the bank where the funds is presently deposited.Please note the account is presently dormain such you will need to reactivated the account.

Regards,

Mrs. Mary-Ann Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam