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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "million 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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (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: "Mr.Mike" <dratih6david@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mikekhol@ymail.com
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:07:06 +0100
Subject: Re:message


I am Mr. Mike Khol from London. I want to seek your assistance after my
discovery during auditing in my bank as am the Manager of Bill and Exchange
at the Foreign Remittance Department of NATWEST BANK PLC. In my department I
discovered an abandoned sum of 47.5 million pounds in an account that
belongs to one of our foreign customers Mr William
Knudson who died along with his entire family in Alaska Plane crash on
February 4th 2000. View this website for verification
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/.
Since his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to come over and
claim his money because we cannot release it unless somebody applies for it
as next of kin or relation to the deceased as indicated in our banking and
financial policies but unfortunately all the efforts proved abortive.It is
therefore upon this discovery that I decided as the head of my department to
make this business proposal to you and release the money to you as the next
of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement
since nobody is coming for it and we don't want this money to go into the
bank treasury as unclaimed bills.required arrangements have been made for
the smooth transfer of these do not view this as being illegal but an
opportunity
for us to help enrich our hope in life instead of the bank converting this
much money to the security funds. You should not nurse any atom of fear as
all funds and your acceptance is what will crown this effort. Please include
your full name, address, age, occupation, telephone, etc.

Mike

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam