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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (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.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • barr_oputa2301@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "John Oputa" <barr_50oputa@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 08:01:34 +0100
Subject: DEAR TIBOR

FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER
JOHN OPUTA
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
NO: 35 ALLEN AVENUE
FESTAC LAGOS NIGERIA
EMAIL: barr_oputa2301@yahoo.com

DEAR TIBOR,
I AM BARRISTER JOHN OPUTA, A SOLICITOR AT LAW. I AM
THE PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO TONY TIBOR, A NATIONAL OF YOUR COUNTRY, WHO USED TO
WORK WITH SHELL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY IN NIGERIA. HERE IN AFTER SHALL BE
REFERRED TO AS MY CLIENT. ON THE 21ST OF APRIL 2003, MY CLIENT,HIS WIFE AND
THEI THREE CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ALONG OWERRI EXPRESS
ROAD ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE UNFORTUNATELY LOST THEIR LIVES. SINCE THEN
I HAVE MADE SEVERAL INQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENTS
EXTENDED RELATIVES THIS HAS ALSO PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL.

AFTER THESE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS, I DECIDED TO TRACK HIS LAST NAME
OVER THE INTERNET, TO LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY HENCE I CONTACTED YOU.
I HAVE CONTACTED YOU TO ASSIST IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT
BEHIND BY MY CLIENT BEFORE THEY GET CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY
THE FINANCE COMPANY WHERE THESE HUGE DEPOSITS WERE LODGED. WHERE THE
DECEASED HAD AN ACCOUNT VALUED AT ABOUT 12.6 MILLION DOLLARS AS THE FINANCE
COMPANY HAS ISSUED A NOTICE TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF KIN OR HAVE THE ACCOUNT
CONFISCATED 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
SINCE YOU HAVE THE SAME LAST NAME SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS ACCOUNT
VALUED AT 12. 6 MILLION DOLLARS CAN BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN YOU AND I CAN
SHARE THE MONEY. I HAVE ALL NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT CAN BE USED TO
BACK UP ANY CLAIM WE MAY MAKE.

ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST COOPERATION TO ENABLE US SEE THIS DEAL THROUGH.
I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT
WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF TOUCH WITH ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON MY
PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS
(barr_oputa2301@yahoo.com) I WAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE IN OTHER FOR US TO
MOVE FORWARD.

BEST REGARDS,
BARRISTER JOHN OPUTA (ESQ)

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam