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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • bendescole91@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Ben Desmond Cole" <bendesmond@rya-online.net>
Reply-To: bendescole91@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:23:13 GMT
Subject: Waiting For Your Responds

FROM MR. WILLAMS SOUTHGATE
NATWEST BANK PLC, LONDON ,
P.O.BOX 3038 ,
57 VICTORIA STREET ,
LONDON SW1H,
UNITED KINGDOM

Dear Friend,

Please accept my sincere apologizes if my email does not
meet your business or personal ethics. I will first
introduce myself as MR. BEN DESMOND COLE, the Chief Auditor
with NATWEST BANK PLC, LONDON-UK. One of our accounts, with
holding balance of £12.5 (Twelve Million Five Hundred
thousand pounds Sterling) has been dormant and last operated
for years ago. From my investigations, the owner of the said
account, Is a foreigner by name MR. JOHN SHUMEJDA who died
along with his entire family in crash at Birmingham Airport
on 4th Jan, 2002. View this website for verification:
http://www.cwn.org.uk/business/a-z/a/agco/2002/01/020104-air-crash.htm

Since then, nobody has done anything as regards the claiming
of this money, as he has no family member that has any
knowledge as to the existence of either the account or the
funds; I have confidently discussed this issue with some of
the bank officials and we have agreed to find a reliable
foreign partner to deal with.

My proposition to you, is to seek your consent to present
you as the Next of kin and beneficiary of this late client,
So that the proceeds of this account valued a huge sum shall
be paid to you, and then we can share the amount on a
mutually agreed percentage of 30% for you, While 60% for me
and others involved, 10% shall be used for miscellaneous
expenses while the remainder shall be given to a reputable
charity home because the money is owned by a deceased
person.

This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the
fund is legitimate and does not originate from drug, money
laundry, terrorism or any other illegal act, funds will be
released to you after necessary processes have been
followed. Let me hear from you as soon as you get this
message, so we can proceed. Reply through my private email
address.
. bendescole91@yahoo.com.hk

Best regards,
Mr.Ben Desmond Cole

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam