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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "share the funds upon agreed terms" (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.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Kenolly Robert" <robert_kenolly04@mailbox.hu>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 13:37:59 +0100
Subject: Urgent Response Needed


BARRISTER ROBERT KENOLLY.
SUPREMECHAMBERS
35 KOFO ABAYOMI ST/ KALCUTA CRESCENTS
APAPA-LAGOS.

Attn: Sir/Madam.

Compliments of the day to you. I must solicit your confidentiality and
assure you that I am contacting you in good faith and this proposal will be
of mutual benefit. I am Robert Kenolly (Esq.), a legal Practitioner. My
client late Mr. Andrew was killed with his entire family in fatal auto
crash, sparing none of their lives, some years ago.

Before his death, I assisted him in the deposit of some funds with a bank
for safekeeping. The funds have remained unclaimed since his death, and such
unclaimed funds are appropriated and returned to the treasury as a matter of
policy. Considering the lack of success in my bid to locate any of his
relatives for over a year now, I hereby solicit your consent to enable me
present you as the Next of Kin to my deceased client.

I am contacting you for this sole reason and strongly believe that the bank
does not deserve to inherit the funds. These reasons led to my resolve to
claim the funds, which was why I contacted you. With your permission, I will
proceed to establish you as the next of kin/Beneficiary to my late client.
As soon as this is done, you will then give instructions to the bank, to
transfer the deposited funds into another account you will provide, after
which we shall then share the funds upon agreed terms.

When I receive your response, I will provide you with further details.

I await your reply,

Robert Kenolly Esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam