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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:

• 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.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Ogie Oba" <ogieoba01@msn.com>
Reply-To: ogieoba4@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 12:15:55 +0000
Subject: Honest Co-operation

Good day,

I am Barrister Ogie Oba a solicitor at law. I am the Personal Attorney to
Mr. Michael Fox Smith , a National of your Country, who has lived in Nigeria
for the past fifty years, and whom here in after shall be referred to as my
client.

In April 1999, my client was involved in a fatal car accident along
Lagos/shagamu express road. All occupants of the vehicle including my client
unfortunately lost their lives. I have contacted you to assist in
repatriating most especially, the money left behind by my client before they
get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge
deposits were lodged.

Particularly, the Prudent Bank PLC where the deceased had an account valued
at about $18.5 million dollars, his bank has issued me a notice to provide
the Next of kin, or have the account confiscated.

I seek your consent to present you as the Next of kin of the deceased so
that the proceeds of this account valued at $18.5 million dollars can be
paid to you as my clients Next of Kin, and then we can share the amount on a
mutual agreed percentage.

All legal documents to back up your claim as the deceased Next of Kin will
be provided by me since I am his personal attorney,all I require is your
honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through.

I guarantee you that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please indicate your interest by sending the below informations:

1. Your full Name and Address.

2. Your Telephone / Mobile Number

3. Your Occupation

Please get in touch with me For further correspondence.

Regards,

Barrister Ogie Oba.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam