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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "million us 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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "very 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)
  • "100% hitch free" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • e.moses13@yahoo.ca (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Eddyson Moses <e.moses13@yahoo.ca>
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:57:59 -0800 (PST)
Subject: URGENT PLEASE


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: e.moses13@yahoo.ca



- I am writing following the impressive information about your profile, your capability and reliability to champion this opportunity. In my department, we discovered an abandoned sum of (TEN million US dollars). In an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family in September,2006 in a ROAD ACCIDENT.Since we got this information about his death, we have been expecting his next of Kin to come over and claim his money because we can not 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 we learnt that his supposed next of kin or relation died along side with him in the accident leaving no body behind to claim the money. It is therefore upon this discovery that I and other officials in my department now decided to make this business proposal to you and release the money to you as the next of kin or beneficiary 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.The Banking law and guideline here stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after long period, the money will be transferred into the Bank treasury as unclaimed fund.The request for a foreigner as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and an indegine cannot stand as next of kin to the deceased family. We agreed that 30% of this money will be for you as foreign partner, in respect to the provision of a foreign account, 10% will be set aside for expenses,if there is going to be any expenses to may made during the transaction and 60 % would be for me and my colleagues. I will not fail to bring to your notice that this transaction is 100% hitch free and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required arrangements have been made for the transfer.Thereafter I and my colleagues will visit your country for disbursement according to the percentages indicated.Get back to me for more information with your private, telephone and fax number for easy and effective communication.Upon receipt of your reply, I will send to you by fax or e-mail the text of the application and I assure you that we can conclude this operation within ten banking days.NOTE: Keep this very confidential and top secret.Best Regard.Mr. Eddyson Moses(U.T.B)TOGO

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam