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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:

• 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:
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • fredwatt22@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Fred Watt" <fredwatt1166@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 20:31:37 -0700
Subject: Request for Your Partnership Urgently Needed??


From: Mr.Fred Watt.
276 Queen street Place
London, EC4 R1BE

*Re:My Request to You.*

My heart warm greetings to you. I have a very important request that make me
to contact you; I am Mr. Fred Watt, I decided to reach you directly to
solicit your assistance and Guidelines in making a business investment and
wire transfer of £45.5M GBP (Fourty Five Million Five Hundred Thousand
British Pounds Sterling) to your country within the Next few days. This
transaction is legitimate and genuie.

I presently work as a Chief Auditor, of all foreign bank accounts of our
overseas customers with our bank and I am in-charge of Offshore Mortgage &
Services with HSBC BANK PLC, here in London. But at this moment, I am
constrained to issue more details about this profitable Business investment
until I get your response by mail, confirming your readiness to be in
partnership with me. Be informed that this funds is legitimate and there is
no risk on your part, all confirmable documents will be legally secured to
back up the transfer and copies will be sent to you before the funds gets
into your country. Meanwhile, I have carefully worked out the modalities and
technicalities whereby the funds will be cleared and transferred into your
country safely without any hitches.

Please I will appreciate you take out a moment of your very busy Schedule
today to respond back if you are interested; send me your email response
directly to: fredwatt22@yahoo.co.uk and include your direct mobile telephone
numbers for an initial confidential communication, so that I will give you
further explanation on source of funds and details of funds transfer. I wish
for utmost confidentiality in handling this transaction.

Thanks for your understanding and willingness to partner with me. I wait
your urgent reply soon.

Best Regards
Mr. Fred Watt.
Chief Auditor.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam