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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:
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "idris_usman1" <idris_usman1@terra.com.mx>
Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2006 19:28:31 -0600
Subject: HELLO


Dear sir,
It is with trust and confidence that I make this urgent proposal hoping that you are trustworthy and reliable. I was the personal attorney to one Engineer Reijo Saunamaki who owned and ran an oil servicing company in Nigeria. My client had an account with the bank of Nigeria Plc where he deposited as the last balance,the sum of $11.9M Unfortunately, Mr.Saunamaki in April 2000 died with his nuclear family in a ghastly auto crash along the Ibadan lagos express road.
I have received notification to the existence of this account from the bank a couple of months ago with the information that the bank will retire this money as unclaimed if in the next one month,I am not able to find one that has relationship with Saunamaki to claim this money as his next of kin. I have made concerted efforts, unknown to the bank since the death of my client to trace any one even with the remotest relationship with Saunamaki without success.
I am therefore contacting you to co-operate with me so that I can position you as the next of kin to the deceased and claim this money for a sharing formular we will agree on. I will lead you to follow strictly the laid down procedures of the bank for claims such as this in so much that this will be entirely risk free and legal.
Warm regards,
IDRIS USMAN

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam