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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "SHEHU AHMED" <shehu_ahmed@msn.com>
Reply-To: shehuahmed@myway.com
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 18:11:35 +0000
Subject: BARRISTER SHEHU AHMED.


Attn: Sir/Madam,

OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT OF 60% FOR ME AND 40% FOR YOU.

I am Barrister SHEHU AHMED a solicitor at law. I am the Personal attorney to
Mr.Louis Franklin, a foreign expatriate who used to own an oil servicing
company in Nigeria. On the 21st of April 1999,my client, his wife and their
three children were involved in a plane crash involving an ADC Airline which
claimed their ives.

Since then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my
clients extended relatives but this has proved unsuccessful. After these
several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the
Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left
behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unservicable by
the bank where this huge deposits were lodged. Since I have satisfied my
conscience by the several unsucessful efforts i have made in trying to
locate any of my clients relatives without success, i now seek your concent
to present you as a next of kin to my deceased client. The balance in his
account valued at US$14.5 million dollars will be paid to you and then you
and i will share the money as we shall agree.

As the personal attorney to my deceased client,I shall take care of all the
necessary legal documents that are required to back up the claim that you
are the benecial next of kin. All I require now, is your honest co-operation
to enable us see this deal through.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law. Please get in touch with me by
my e-mail to enable us discuse further. You may also, send your phone number
so that I can call you.

I look forward to your urgent response.

Best regards,

BARRISTER SHEHU AHMED.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam