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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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:

• 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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
• 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.
  • barrsusanwoods@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: woods mrs susan <s_swoods5@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2007 20:04:19 +0000
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL FROM BARR:SUSAN WOODS!!!!


Dear Friend,

I am Barrister Susan Woods, I am the personal Attorney to late, Mr. Michael Blair a national of your country, who was an expatriate contractor with the Niger Delta Development Commission. On the 12th of December 2003, my late client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident along Warri/Portharcourt Road. Unfortunately they All lost their lives in the event of the fatal accident.

Since then I made several enquiries in your Embassy here to locate any of my late client's extended relatives, this has proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet, to locate any member of his family but to no avail. I have contact you to assist me in receiving the money and properties left behind by my late client as a last resort, before they get confiscated. His Bank here has the intention of declaring his account with them dormant/unserviceable and subsequently frozen his huge deposit with them. My Late client has a deposit of US$15m (fifteen million U.S. dollars) with this Bank.

The Bank issued me a notice to provide my late client's Next-of-Kin or have the account confiscated within the next 21 banking days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives of my client for over one full year now, I seek your consent to present you as the Next-of-Kin of the deceased having come from the same country, so that the proceeds of his bank account valued at $15 million can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money. I propose 60% of the total sum comes to me, while you get 30% for your involvement, 10% shall be for expenses or tax as your government may require.

I shall make all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up our claim that you are the Next-of-Kin available through the Federal High Court,all procedures have been worked out. All I require is your honest cooperation as a sincere Partner 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 the law. Please get in touch with me at (barrsusanwoods@yahoo.com.hk) to enable us discus further.

Regards,Barrister Susan Woods.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam