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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "million 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)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "chrisdagogo3" <chrisdagogo3@terra.com.mx>
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2006 08:27:37 -0600
Subject: GREETINGS


Dear Sir/Madam

I am Barr. Chris Dagago. a Solicitor of the Royal Law Chamber I am the Personal Financial Attorney to Mr.T,Thomas who used to work with Chevron Oil Development Company in Nigeria. On the 21st of April, 2003, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident along Abuja Express Road. Unfortunately, they all lost their lives in the event of the accident. Sincethen I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to locate any of my clientrelatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet to locate any member of his family but to no avail hence, I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my client in a Security Company.
Particularly, the Security Company where the deceased deposited the US$10 Million (Ten Million United States Dollars only).Consequently, this security Company issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin to claim the US$10 Million (Ten Million United States Dollars only) in their custody within the next ten official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 3 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased to claim the fund as the Next of Kin to him so that the fund will be transferred to your account by the Security company. Upon receipt of the fund, I will come over to your country to meet with you for the disbursement of the fund and then you and I will share the money in this order: 55% will be for me, 40% will be for you, while 5% will be
used on expenses incurred.

I have all the necessary legal documents that can
back our claim we may make with the Security Company.
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable
us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that I will protect you from any breach of the law.

Best regards.
Barr. Chris Dagago

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam