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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:
  • "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: steven ediale <sedialechambers9@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: theolivechambers@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 04:25:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: LOOKING FOR TIMMERMANS


Dear Timmermans,

I am Barrister Steven Ediale, the principal lawyer to late Engr.Mark Timmermans,a foreigner and an oil company expatriate here in Nigeria.On the 21st of April 2003,my client,his wife and their two children were involved in a ghastly auto accident along Badagry Expressway Road,unfortunately,all occupants of the vehicle lost their lives.Since then I have made several enquiries to the Embassy to see if I can locate any of my clients extended family/relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and properties left behind by my client before it will get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged.After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to possibly locate any member of his family hence I contacted you.The Bank where the deceased had an account valued at about [$12 Million USD + INTEREST], has issued me a notice as the principal lawyer to the deceased to provide the next of kin or they will have the account confiscated within the next 10 banking days accordingly with their laws and regulations.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 estate can be paid to you and then we can share the money in the following ratio:

40% will be for you
60% will be for me

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see that this transaction succeeds.I guarantee that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect us from any breach of law.As you indicate your interest, please send along the the below information so that I will include them in my Referral Letter to the bank introducing you as late Mark's relative.

1. Your full names and address.
2. Your age, occupation and sex.
3. Your telephone and fax numbers.

Looking forward to your positive response so that I will brief you on the steps to be taken.

Yours Sincerely,
Steven Ediale


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam