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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:
  • "swift card payment center" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "card center will send you an atm card" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
  • "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "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)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:57:01 -0300
Subject: PAYMENT NOTICE

Good day.

Until today a circular/Query was sent from the Treasury Section this morning
to enable my office Confirm that you issued a letter of Authority for a
change of Beneficiary and receiving address from your name/Address to Mr.
Paul Bowen from Algeria.

The circular stated that one Mr. Paul Bowen came to the Treasury Department
claiming to be from your sister company in Luxembourg with a letter of
Authority purported to have been written by you that the total Inheritance
sum should be transferred into your sister Company Account in Luxembourg and
that they are ready to pay the outstanding fee of US£950 (Five Hundred and
Fifty Great British Pounds Net) meant for the procurement of the insurance
policy certificate) obtainable from the legal department in order to receive
the fund.

Please what is happening? I will want you to confirm the following issues:

1. Do you have a sister company in Luxembourg?

2. Did you give anybody a power of attorney to receive your Inheritance
payment entitlement on your behalf?

3. Should we authorize the Treasury Department to acknowledge and validate
the purported authority to change Beneficiary and have the fund transferred
to Mr. Paul Bowen on matters concerning your claims/payment.

Please note that you have between 7 working days from the date of this
letter to attend and clarify the issue raised above or this office will
conclude that all the issues raised are correct and subsequently confirm to
the Treasury Department to deal with Mr. Paul Bowen. In the light of the
above, this office shall not welcome any petition or Blames that your fund
was wrongly paid/transferred to someone else if you do not respond to this
letter.It is our tradition to first confirm the original beneficiary before
any Reconfirmation can be given to the Treasury Department Pointa annota:
Prior to the issue raised above.

After the effort and time you went as far as authorizing your Sister Company
to receive the same Inheritance payment on you behalf without my consent.
Based on this your payment with instructions from the Treasury Department
had been stopped automatically unless you clear this issue raised above by
convincing my humble self and the Treasury Department that you never
authorize Mr. Paul Bowen to redeem claims on your behalf.

This must be supported with an Affidavit of claims /Declaration denouncing
such claims by Mr. Paul Bowen. Without such a Declaration; no payment shall
be paid to you. This Declaration must be sworn through the British High
Court.

Re-confirm the following information

1.Your Full names.
2.Your Telephone and fax numbers.
3.Your Contact address.
4 Id Card.
5.Current Occupation.
NB: READ CAREFULLY

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARRANGE YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTER
ASIA PACIFIC, THAT IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION BY THE MINISTER OF FINANCE.

THIS CARD CENTER WILL SEND YOU AN ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW
YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT THE MAXIMUM IS
FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS PER DAY.
THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT $800,000.00
(EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) FOR YOUR INFORMATION YOU HAVE
TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(s).
THIS IS TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN FINALIZING YOUR PAYMENT TO YOU OR MR. PAUL
BOWEN WHO YOU AUTHORIZE.

ALSO NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF THE COMPLICATIONS YOUR FUND HAS BEEN SEALED WITH A
TAG UNTIL AFTER PROPER VERIFICATIONS FROM YOU AS TO WHOM THE FUND SHOULD BE
TRANSFERRED TO.

Awaiting your immediate response.

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Coleman

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam