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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:
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "BENJAMIN EGOBIA" <mregobia_ben@msn.com>
Reply-To: mrbenegobia@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2006 08:20:53 +0000
Subject: Dear Meza

Dear Meza,

I am a staff of Equitorial Trust Bank Plc; my name is Mr. Benjamin Egobia, a
banker. I am the Personal Account Manager to Engr. A. Meza who was formerly
an oil merchant in Nigeria hereinafter, referred to as my clientele. On
21st April, 1999, my clientele, his wife, and their three children were
involved in a road accident on (Shagamu) Lagos-Benin Expressway and all the
family died in this fatal road mishap. Since then I have made several
inquiries to locate any of my clientele's extended relatives without
success. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his
last name on the internet, to locate any member of his family that can
partner with me for the purpose of repatriating the money hence I contacted
you. Before my clientele&#8217;s death, he had an account valued at about
(20.5 million U.S Dollars).

Recently, my bank (Equitorial Trust Bank Plc) during her last Annual General
Meeting (AGM) arrived at a decision to confiscate any account that has been
unclaimed/unserviceable or dormant for the past Six (6) years. Since I have
been unsuccessful in my search for the relative(s) of late Engr. A. Meza for
years, I will enjoin you to approach the bank(Equitorial Trust Bank Plc) as
the next of kin to the deceased since you have the same last name with him
so that the proceeds of this account valued at (20.5 Million U.S Dollars)
can be paid to you.

As a matter of business, the sharing formula runs thus: 35% to me and 60% to
you and 5% set aside to offset expenses incurred by either of the parties in
course of the transaction. Meanwhile, the services of an attorney shall be
contracted to help source all necessary legal documents to back up your
claim of next of kinship.

All I require is your honesty and unreserved cooperation for a smooth
transaction. I guarantee that this transaction will be executed under a
legal arrangement that will protect us from any breach of the law.

Have my best regards and God bless you.

Mr. Benjamin Egobia.

Please indicate your willingness to proceed in this project and also send me
your private telephone number(s) to facilitate communication.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam