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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge deposit" (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: "James Brown" <hopejmaes1@Yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: hopejmaes1@myway.com
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 10:05:38 +0100
Subject: Your Response

Dear Friend,


I feel safe and secured contacting you. I am highly delighted to be in
contact with you and sorry for the embarrassment this mail might be to
you as we have not met or known each other before.


Although, I hate this medium of contact (Internet) but I chose it
because it still remain the fastest, most reliable and most secured.


My name is Barrister James Brown. I was the Personal Attorney to Late


MR.J.HULL an American National, who was a contractor and spent most of

his life in my country England, UK. He and his Family were involved in
a car accident along Manchester Stretch and unfortunately lost their
lives on the 1st day of October 2000 in London. Since then I have made
several enquiries at the American Embassy to locate any of my late
client's extended relatives but this has proved unsuccessful, he has no
next-of-kin at the time of his death.


After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you
since all my effort to trace or locate any member of his family failed me
so that you as a foreigner will assist me as my late client's
Next-of-Kin in repatriating the Assets and Capital valued at US$15.5 Million
left behind by my late client before it gets confiscated by the bank where
this huge deposit was lodged.


The said bank in London had several times issued me notice to provide
the Next of Kin or have the deposit confiscated. Since I have been
unsuccessful in locating any of my late client's relatives for over two
years now, I seek your CONSENT to present you as the Next-of-Kin to my late
client, so that the deposit can be paid to you.


Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss
the sharing ratio and modalities for claim. I have all the necessary
information and legal documents needed to back you up for the claim. All
I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this
transaction through.


I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law both in the UK, your
country and internationally.


Awaiting your urgent response.


Best regards,

Barrister James Brown

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam