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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:
  • "dear friend" (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)
  • "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: "Peter Ruggiero" <petregg@bash-mir.fm>
Reply-To: reggieropeter@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:17:24 +0000
Subject: Confiential Request Needed




Dear Friend,

I am Mr Peter Ruggiero, an internal auditor with Hsbc Bank Plc.
During our last auditing exercises, as the head of the team, I discovered a dormant account valued $19.8 Million dollars. Further investigation about the account revealed that the account holder died since 2001. And up till date, nobody has come forward or put application for claim. During my private search for the relative recently your name and email contact was among the findings that matches the same surname as the decease name who died interstate with no Will or next of kin.

I am contacting you based on trust, to have you presented as the next of kin and the beneficiary of the deposit and I will take care of all necessary paper work to legally declare you the beneficiary of the funds.

If this interest you, kindly respond back immediately with the following
details
If this interest you, kindly respond back immediately with the following details
1: Your full names and address.
2: Your direct cell phone and fax number.
3: Your age and occupation.
4: Give me a brief introduction about your self.
As soon as I received the above details, I will then provide you with full details of the transaction.

Regards.
Peter Ruggiero

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam