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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cotonou" (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.
• 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.
  • +22993805562 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "nelson liman" <nelsonliman@msn.com>
Reply-To: liman2005@excite.com
Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2006 09:23:32 +0000
Subject: work together

Barrister Nelson Liman,
Liman solicitors
Solicitors & Advocates.
06 BP 1409 Akpakpa Dodomey,
Cotonou - Benin Republic.
00229-93805562
Hello,
Barrister Nelson Liman, an attorney at law. This mail is written to
solicit your assistance to be presented as next of kin to my deceased
client Mr Ronald Lake. He made a fixed deposit valued US 5.5M,(fIVE
Million, Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) on September 1998 for 36 months maturity, with an intent of putting up a gold mining company here in Cotonou and upon the maturity this bank started contacting him but to no avail On 31 January, 2000, my clientele along with his wife died in a plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight number 261. You shall read more about the crash on visiting this
site(http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/)
The Governing Body of the bank has contacted me on this matter, based
on the fact that his supposed next of kin, happened to die in the said
crash and I am yet to provide any other Next of Kin to lay claim to the fund Under a clear and legitimate agreement with you, I shall seek your consent to be presented as the next of Kin,so that the proceeds of this account now valued US 6.1 million, will be paid to you, so that the Bank will not confiscate this fund, as the banking law and guidelines here stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after four years, the money will be transfered into the bank treasury as unclaimed fund For the sake of transparency on this matter, you are free to make immediate contact with me through my mailbox or phone line, for further information related to this matter.
Thank you very much for your anticipated acceptance while I expect your prompt response.
Yours faithfully,
Barrister Nelson Liman ESQ

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam