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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• 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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (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.
• 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.
  • barristerhameed_udu@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: hameed udu <hameed_udu33@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:25:22 -0600
Subject: VALUED ATTENTION


Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Barrister Hameed Udu, a citizen of Nigeria and a personal Attorney to Late Mark Hopkins Lee. Who was hereinafter called my client. I know that this mail will be of great surprise to you, I got your e-mail address from the Internet as I was soliciting for a partner who will work with me.
Dear, purpose of contacting you is for you to help secure the funds left behind by my late client, to avoid it being confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank, where this fund valued (USD $ 9, 600.000.00) Nine Million Six Hundred Thousand United States Dollars deposited by my client before his death. This Bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin or the account will be declared unserviceable and the fund diverted to the Bank treasury, So far all my efforts to get a hold of someone related to my late client has proved abortive. Hence, I have contacted you.

I am actually asking for your consent to present you to the Bank as the Next of Kin/ beneficiary of my late client's fund, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to your account, then we can share the fund on a mutually agreed based on percentage or joint venture/partner. All the legal documentations to back up your claim as my client's Next of Kin shall be provided.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us achieve this transaction. The intended transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any infraction of the law.
However, if this business proposition offends your moral ethics, do accept my sincere apology. If on the contrary you wish to achieve this goal with me, kindly get back to me with your interest via this email address (barristerhameed_udu@yahoo.co.uk.) for further explanation.
Best Regards,

Barr. Hameed Udu
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam