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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:
  • "for your efforts, i am prepared to offer you " (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)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Andrew Koffi" <andrew_koffi@terra.com.mx> (may be fake)
Reply-To: andrew_koffi77@walla.com
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2006 13:28:37 +0100
Subject: NEEDED REPLY

Dear Sir/Ma,

I cannot imagine the surprise this will bring to you, but please be rest assured is with good faith and intentions from a friend in dare need of your assistance to help us transfer the inheritance sum of US$13.5M (Thirteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) into your account or company's account, in which God will bless you for rendering a helping Hand to others.

My name is Mr. Andrew Koffi, and I work with the Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Lagos. and I am writing in respect of Mr.Choi, Soohyun a customer who perished in a plane crash [Korean Air Flight 801] with the whole passengers aboard on August 6, 1997. Below is the website of the plane crash,

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

Since the demise of this our customer, I personally has watched with Keen interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no One has come to claim his funds of US$13.5M which has been with my company for a very long time. On this note, I decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as the next of kin as no one has come up to be the next of kin.

for your efforts, I am prepared to offer you 30% of the total sum while 5% will be set aside for expenses incurred during the course of this Transaction, 5% for the less Privileged in the society and the Remaining 60% is for me and my Partners.

Please note that this transaction is risk-free and the major thing I ask of you is to assure me the safety of the money when transferred to your account. Further Information and arrangement will commence as soon as trust, Confidence and good relationship is established.

I shall be most grateful if you maintain the confidentiality required In this transaction. Do not hesitate to contact me for further Directives to enable us commence towards the conclusion of this transaction.

Thanks and God bless,

Mr. Andrew Koffi

Please respond to this mail using my email address: andrew_koffi77@walla.com

I wait for your prompt response

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam