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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:
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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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (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)
  • ",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)
  • "keep it confidential" (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 next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Brett Hinson <ppsite38@msn.com>
Reply-To: <pp_info@myway.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2008 02:47:19 +0000
Subject: Message!!!



Prof. Brett Hinson,# 8 Goodwin St London N4 3HQ UK Attn; Naturally, this letter will come to you as a surprise since we have not met. I am a personal account officer to Late Dr. George Brumley. So I contacted you to kindly assist me in the proposal below, which will be of mutual benefit to us both. Dr. George Brumley died with his family in July 19, 2003, by Plan Crash in Kenyan were he stay with his Family, and he has an account deposited with well known bank here in London and since his death nobody has done anything as regards the claiming of this money because he has no family members who are aware of the existence of the account nor the funds apart from me. The dormant account with holding balance of £43,000,000.00 (Forty Three Million British Pounds) which has not been operated for the past years, it is floating and if nothing is done to remitter out this fund urgently it will be fortified by the government. Being the account officer of the deceased, I was instructed by the Bank Management to trace the family relatives of the deceased so that the funds will be released to them, I made several efforts though the Kenyan High Commission to contact any of the deceased family relatives, but to no avail, and I have decided to contact you to act as the next of kin by assisting in repatriating the money in his account. The Bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin within the next 14 official working days or the account declared unserviceable and confiscated. This business is simple. All I require is your honesty and co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this is legitimate arrangement, from your response; I shall then provide you with more details that will help you to understand the transaction more, and be rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us and keep it confidential. I look forward to your urgent response, Best Regards,Prof. Brett Hinson.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam