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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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:
  • "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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: mrlarrysm@live.com
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:33:34 -0800 (PST)
Subject: GOOD NEWS.


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:mrlarrysmith37@yahoo.com.co



- Greetings, How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? I am Larry Smith, personal attorney to Mr. Hong Yuan, an expatriate who used to work with SHELL OIL COMPANY, Here in UNITED KINGDOM. On the 18th of April 2005, I received a call that my client died in the Tsunami Disaster with his wife and four kids while on vacation at Phuket Island in Thailand. Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my client's extended relatives. This has proved unsuccessful. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my client before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where the deceased had an account valued at USD$7,500,000.00 (Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). The bank has issued me a notice to provide the next-of-kin or have the account confiscated. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the biological relatives of my late client, I hereby seek your consent to present you to the bank as next-of-kin of the deceased since you are a foreigner, so that the proceeds of this account valued at USD$7.5M can be transferred to you as inheritance and thereafter, you and me can share the money; 50% to me and 45% to you, while 5% will be donated to the Charity.All that is required from you at this stage is for you to provide me with your Full Names, Contact Address and Telephone number so that I can commence on this matter in your favor.Please, be informed that what matters is your interest and co-operation to assist me claim this fund. I have waited so long to get a next of kin to my late client but I have been unable to do so and unfortunately, the only family I knew him with were involved in the disaster too. I want to believe that you have agreed to assist me get the funds. I wait to hear from you as soon as possible in order to conclude this transaction within nine (9) banking days. You stand no risk here, that I assure you. Yours faithfully, Larry Smith.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam