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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "chambers" (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: "Andrew Collins" <andrewcollins_1@live.com>
Reply-To: andrewcollins_2@live.com
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 10:34:59 -0500
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE.

BARRISTER ANDREW COLLINS
ANDREW COLLINS CHAMBERS.
PLOT 1855 AJAO ESTATE, LAGOS NIGERIA..
Reply to my private email:andrewcollins_2@live.com

Att'n

I am Barrister Andrew Collins, a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to late Mr. Mark, a national of your country, who used to work with Julius Berger
construction Company in Nigeria. Hereinafter shall be referred to as my client. On the 27th of January 2002, my client, his wife and their only daughter were
involved in a Bomb Blast in Idumabgo-Lagos Island.

All occupants of the in building unfortunately lost there lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy here to locate any of my clients extended
relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of
his family hence I contacted you.
I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the fund valued at US$7.5million left behind by my client before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP (ADBG), where this huge amount were deposited. The said bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or
have the account confiscated within the next fourteen official working days.

For the fact that I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over some years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased,
since you have the same last name with my client, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall
then discuss the sharing ratio and modalities for transfer.

I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for claim. All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this
transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Best Regards,
Barrister Andrew Collins.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam