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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:
  • "dear friend" (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)
  • "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr MICHEAL GIBSO" <michealgibson2@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: micheal.gibson@voila.fr
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:06:17 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY


I'M Micheal Gibson
DIRECTOR INCHARGE OF
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT,
ECO BANK, -BENIN REPUBLIC
PRIVATE EMAIL. micheal.gibson@voila.fr



Dear Friend,
(TRANSFER OF (USD8.1M)
Is my Pleasure writing to you at this moment of the day, I'm Micheal Gibson
.The director incharge of auditing and accounting Unit of ECO Bank Benin
Republic. I deem it fit to contact you regarding to a transaction that will
be of favour to both of us at the end, and i got your contact in mysearch
for a reputable and reliable person to help me claim the fund in question.
we discovered the sum of eight million one hundred thousand United States
Dollars (USD8.1M) belonging to a deceased customer of this bank.The fund has
been lying in a suspence account without anybody coming to put claim over
the fund since the account owner late Mr.Mohamed Mohd from libanon, who was
involved in the December 25th Benin plane crash. Here is the air crash
website
http://www.iafpa.org.uk/news-template.php?tid91 The said fund is now
ready for transfer to a foriegn account whose owner will be portrayed as the
Beneficiary and next of kin to the deceased customer of the bank.The foriegn
account owner will impost himself as the next of kin to the deceased and
respond positively like a true next of kin who wishes to speed up the
release and transfer of his inherited fund.

If the over due fund is not claimed by the end of next quarter,the
government of the Federal Republic of Benin will take over the ownership of
the fund in line with the Federal Edict Act of 1979. I do not want the
government to take over the ownership of this fund,that is why I contacted
you for us to do the deal together, so that I will portray you as the
bonafide next of kin to the deceased whose name is Mr. Mohamed mohd. If you
accept to carry out this project with me, I will offer you 30% of the total
sum, while I and my colleagues involved will take 70% of the total sum.Upon
your acceptance to do this deal with me, we will jointly effect the transfer
within eight working days.On your acceptance to do this transaction with me
this particulars is needed from you.Below is my picture for you to confirm
my readyness.


1,TELEPHONE......................
2,FAX ................................
3,ADDRESS.........................
4,LOCATION......................


Be rest assured that, this transaction carries no risk and no extra
esponssibilities on your part, except the above mentioned roles and normally
you will be required to maintain absolute information and absolute secrecy
throughout the duration of this transaction, because discussing it with a
third party might jeopardise the entire transaction. I am looking forward to
receiving your interesting response on this project as this will greatly
enrich the both of us at the end.



Best Regards
Mr Micheal Gibson

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam