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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:
  • "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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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.)
  • "lome togo" (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: "Onu Oshashi" <info10@orelope.com>
Reply-To: onuoshashi@yahoo.fr
Date: Sat, 17 May 2008 17:40:26 +0000
Subject: Call me.




FROM BARRISTER ONU OSHASHI
OSHASHI'S CHAMBER LOME TOGO
CELL PHONE NO.00 228 909-6319
LOME TOGO WEST AFRICA.

ATTENTION/DEAR FRIEND,

I am Barrister Onu Oshashi.I have a client who bears the same name with you,a foreigner who used to work with Standard Petroleum Company LTD, in Lome-Togo .On the 2nd of August 2003, my client, his wife and their two children were involved in a car accident along Kara Express Road. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to locate any of my client's extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the internet, to locate any member of his family but of no avail, hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist me in repatriating the money left behind by my client before they got confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Finance House where these huge deposits were lodged. Particularly, the Finance House where the deceased had an account valued at about US$10.5M has issued me a notice to provide the next-of-kin or have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over nine (9) months now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$10.5M can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money; 50% to me and 50% to you, I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make, all I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Anticipating your prompt response.
Barr onu Oshashi.(ESq).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam