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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.

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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:
  • "you will be entitled to 30%" (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: "peter lomas" <lomaspet@sympatico.ca>
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 19:02:16 +0000
Subject: Proposal

Dear Sir,

Please permit me to introduce myself to you. I am Barrister PETER LOMAS, A
legal practitioner in South Africa. I got your contact from the British
Council, and I have decided to contact you so that we can carry out this
mutually beneficial business transaction.

My late Client Mr. DAHLIG MITCHELL (A British Citizen) until his death
aboard a KOREAN FLIGHT 801 in 1997 deposited a total of US$5.5M with ABSA
Trust Bank, South Africa. He was a Director with Shell Petroleum Development
Company, South Africa. You can view the below website for a listing of the
passengers who lost their lives.

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

Since I am the personal attorney to Mr. DAHLIG MITCHELL, he gave me the
custody of the deposit documents, and as such entrusted me with the Legal
Rights to transfer and execute this deposit to any Next of Kin after his
demise. I have since tried to locate any Next of Kin to DAHLIG MITCHELL
without success, hence I decided to contact you so that you can rightfully
stand as the next of kin to inherit the deposited sum by virtue of the fact
that you can provide an account abroad to rightfully claim the deposit
legitimately.

This is a staggering sum, and I need a reliable person to help me with
necessary arrangements to transfer the deposited sum out of SOUTH AFRICA. By
virtue of my position as an Attorney, I will arrange the documents in your
name so that you can rightly apply as a Next of Kin to Late DAHLIG MITCHELL
in a capacity of a Family Member.

You will be entitled to 30% of the total sum should you be willing to assist
me in this business transaction, 10% will be earmarked for taxation expense
and I will get the remaining 60%. I will prepare a formal agreement to guide
us in this transaction for accountability purpose.
Please forward me the following details:

Your Full Name

Your Mailing Address

Telephone and Fax Number

Please reply through my Private Email: petlomas@msn.com

Yours truly,

PETER LOMAS ESQ (Legal Practitioners)
12 Independent Road
South Africa.
Email: petlomas@msn.com


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam