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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:
  • "please indicate your interest" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "FRANKLIN SMITH" <franklinsmith0@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fs_office9@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 08:06:43 -0700
Subject: Good Day,


Good Day,

This letter is written to you based on contact information I came
across on web while searching for investment options overseas. My name
is Barrister Franklin Smith,I am a lawyer to one Mr. Morris Thompson,
an American who died in the year 2000. Late Morris Thompson was a
consultant in Chevron Petroleum Company here in Nigeria and has a
Fixed Deposit of US$15,000,000.00 with Central Bank of Nigeria to run
for a period of 6 years from 1999 to 2005.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Morris left Nigeria some years back and did
not come back. I tried to locate him after several months only to
discover that he was involved in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines
Flight 261 which crashed on 31st January 2000 together with his wife
and their daughter, visit the site below which I got during my
investigation;

http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/

My purpose of contacting you is that the fixed deposit has matured but
no one to stand for the claim. The bank has mandated me as his lawyer
to provide any of his relative to stand for the claim within two
months since the depositor died with his wife whom he indicated as his
next of kin in the crash. To this effect, I have decided to contact
you to stand as Mr. Thompson's next of kin in order to claim this
money since it is obvious that the bank did not know any of his
relative. If you accept to stand for this inheritance, I am willing to
split the funds into two parts, for each of us having an equal share.

There is no risk involved in this transaction, as I will give you all
information about Mr. Morris Thompson and his banking relationship
with the bank to enable you stand for the claim. I shall come over to
your country for my own share once this transaction is concluded.
Please indicate your interest so we can proceed further. Thanks

Truly,

Barr.Franklin Smith

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam