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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.

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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:
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "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)
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "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.

Fraud email example:

From: VICTOR ABIOLA <victorabiola01@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <vic_abiola@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:56:40 +0000
Subject: DEAR BEHR, GET BACK TO ME



Dear Behr,

Good day. I apologize for sending you this sensitive information via e-mail instead of a Certified mail/Post-mail. This is due to the urgency and importance of the information.

I am Barrister Victor Abiola, a Solicitor and Personal Attorney to Late M. Behr, a national of your country who before his death was an oil merchant in Nigeria liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG).

On the 27th June 2000, my client, his wife and their only kid were involved in a car accident along Lagos-Ibadan Express Road. All of them unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I as the Personal Attorney of the deceased had made several inquiries to locate any of my clients extended relative but this has proved unsuccessful. After several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives through the Internet, to locate any member of his family but to no avail, hence I contact you.

I have contacted you to assist in getting the money and property left behind by my client before there get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank where this huge Deposit were lodged. Particularly, the Bank where the Deceased had an Account valued at about Nine Million United States Dollars (US$9,000,000.00) as at last month assessment.

The Bank has issued me a notice as the Attorney to the Deceased to provide the Next of Kin or have the fund declared as an UNCLAIMED FUND within the Next 15 official working days.

I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 6 years now that I have been searching. I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin to the Deceased since you are a foreigner like him so that the proceeds of this Bank Account can be paid out in your favor. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law.

I have the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back up any claim we are going to make. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through.

I wait for your urgent reply with your PERSONAL TELEPHONE number for effective communication and oral clarification.

Respectfully,

Victor Abiola Esq.
_________________________________________________________________
See what you’re getting into…before you go there
http://newlivehotmail.com/?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_viral_preview_0507

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam