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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: floral guessan <floral.7@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <floral0@sify.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 11:11:30 +0100
Subject: RE;From The Desk Of,


From The Desk Of,
Mrs. Floral N'guessan
Soci鴩 G鮩rale de Banques en C?d'Ivoire
Direct Email Address:


Atten,

I humbly crave your indulgence in sending you this mail, if the contents does not meet with your personal and business ethics, I apologise in advance. Before I proceed I would like to introduce my self to you.

My name is Mrs. Floral N'guessan, a staff of the above BANK, I have urgent and confidential business preposition for you.

On July 21, 2003, an oil contractor with the ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE ( IVORY COAST ) National Petroleum Corporation Mr George Brumley made a numbered time fixed) deposited for twelve calendar valued at us$18.500.000.00 (Eighteen million, five hundred thousand United States dollars) only in my branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.

After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contact employers COTE D'IVOIRE National Petroleum Corporation that Mr George Brumley, died in Air crash along with his entire family.

See below

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/07/20/kenya.crash/index.html

On further investigation, I found out that he did not leave a WILL and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr George Brumley did not declare any next of kin in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork.

This sum of US$18.500.000.00 (Eighteen million, five hundred thousand United States dollars) only is still sitting in the Bank.

No one will come forward to claim it. According to the COTE D'IVOIRE ( IVORY COAST ) banking Law, at the expiration of 6 years the money will revert to the ownership of the COTE D'IVOIRE ( IVORY COAST ) Government if nobody applies to claim the funds. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. George Brumley so that the fruits of this old man's labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials.

As an Accountant and a staff of this BANK, What we have to do is simple if you adheir to my instructions. You will send to me your complete names, address and information's which I will secretly programme in the computer account to the file of late Mr. George Brumley in our bank as his registered associate before his death and who is entitle to inherit the deposit in case of his death.

Then after that I will send to you by email the text of the application I will not fail to bring to your notice that this transaction is hitch free and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required arrangements have been made for the transfer.

You should contact me immediately as soon as you receive this letter.

Trusting to hear from you immediately.

Your's faithfully,
Mrs. Floral N'guessan
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam