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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "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.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447031840826 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • barr_henrymartins2000@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "Henry Martins" <hmartins_31@msn.com>
Date: Sun, 08 Jan 2006 07:53:57 +0000
Subject: Very Urgent

Barrister Henry Martins
Address: Suite D4738, Holograms Suites,
4855 Copthal Avenue.
City London,
EC45 67BN GB
Email: barr_henrymartins2000@yahoo.co.uk
Phone: (Office) +44-703-184-0826
Mobile (Direct Mobile) +44-778-355-1847
Date 8th-1-2006.

ATTENTION: Very Urgent

Dear Friend,

I am Barrister Henry Martins, I have an urgent and very profitable business
proposition for you that should be handled with extreme confidentiality.

On January 12,1997 a Consultant and contractor with the British Water
Corporation Mr.Lee Shin by name made a numbered time Fixed Deposit for
twelve calendar months valued at US$20.9M (Twenty Million,Nine Hundred
thousand United States Dollars Only) in a Financial and Security Company.
Upon maturity they sent a routine notification in accordance with the
Company policy to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month
they sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers
British Water Corporation that Mr. Lee Shin died in the Korean Air Flight
{801}, which crashed in Guam, on August 6,1997.

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/06/guam.passenger.list/

On further investigation, i found out that he died without making a Will and
all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. I therefore made
further investigations and discovered that Mr.Lee Shin did not declare any
next of kin or relations in all his official documents including his Bank
Deposit paperwork in the Financial and Security Company.

This sum of US$20.9M i understand was kept in the Financial and Security
Company for safekeeping to enable him have direct and immediate access to
the funds for a contract that he intend to execute.

No one will ever come forward to claim it and according to the Law of my
country, at the expiration of 9 years the money will revert to the ownership
of the British Government, if nobody applies to claim the fund. I decided to
contact you to assist me receive his money for safe keeping and investments
on his behalf as everything will be taken over by the British Government as
provided in section 129 sub 63(N), British Banking Edit of 1961.

This prompted me to contact you.I want to front you as the next of kin and
beneficiary to the late client thereby making you the legal beneficiary of
the sum of $20.9 million U.S Dollars that is presently in the Financial and
Security Company.

I contacted you because it will be very easy for the Financial and Security
Company to believe since they know me as his Lawyer and moreover i am
working with a key member of the Financial and Security Company.

The transaction is 100% legal and totally free of risks as all modalities
has been perfected to ensure the hitch free success of the transaction. I
have also decided that you will generously be entitled to 30% of the total
amount. Upon my receipt of your reply confirming your willingness to assist
me of this transaction, I will immediately arrange and transfer all the
rights of ownership of this fund to your name to facilitate your easy
clearance and transfer of the complete funds to your country.

You have nothing to worry about, as I will be there to assist you in anyway
necessary with all proper documentation. If you are interested, send all
possible suggestions and interest to it to my private mail box
{barr_henrymartins2000@yahoo.co.uk} as soon as possible so that we can
proceed.

I await your response urgently.
Regards,
Barrister Henry Martins



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam