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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)
  • "million 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)
  • ",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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "chambers" (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: John Bello <jb234me08@msn.com>
Reply-To: <john.bello.barrjohnbello@o2.pl>
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 15:14:46 +0000
Subject: VERY URGENT.



Barrister John Bello {John Bello& Associates Solicitors Advocate& Notary Public of Nigeria}No: 24 Alaba Ikoyi StreetLagos-Nigeria

Dear Friend,

First I must solicit your confidence in this transaction and wish to apologize to you if this mail might have wronged you in any means and before I continue I wish to introduce my self officially, my names are Barrister John O. Bello (ksj). A solicitor and the personal attorney to late Engr. Mark, he was a big time contractor here with Chevron oil and Gas company here in Nigeria, Herein-after referred to as my client.
On the 22nd day of October 2005, my client, and his family was involved in the Belleview Plane-crash, my client and his entire family unfortunately lost their lives in the Plane-crash which also claimed several other lives including the pilot and the plane attendants. Since the death of my late client I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my late client's extended relatives, which has proved abortive after these several unsuccessful attempts then the need to contact you emanated. My main reason for contacting you is so that you may assist me in repatriating the money left behind by my late client before they are confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where they are deposited. The bank where the deceased has a fixed deposit account with the total sum of $ 18,000,000 00 USD {Eighteen Million United States Dollars.}
The said bank has issued me a final notice to provide the next of in to my client or they will be left with no other choice but to confiscate this funds and have them transferred into the reserved account of the federal government of Nigeria for their private use. Since the issuance of the final notice I have been unsuccessful locating my late client's relatives for the past three years now, So in this effect I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to my late client, so that the said funds as stated above $ 18 000, 000, 00 USD {Eighteen Million United States Dollars} can be paid into your account as the next of kin, instead of leaving it for the bank and the federal agencies, we can take part of it and leave the rest to charity organizations if you so desire. I must let you know that this transaction is 100% risk free and safe, and will also be executed under legitimate arrangement in order not to go contrary to the law and i assure you that there will be no problem or breaching of the law because I have all necessary and legal documents that will qualify you the rightful next of kin to my late client, all I require from you is your honest co-operation to enable us see this arrangement through and bring this transaction to perfect conclusion.
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. I have decided to give you 40% out of the total sum while 55% will be for me and my office and 5% will be used to offset all expenses incurred by both parties during the course of this transaction both telephone calls and internets bills within the period of this transaction.

Kindly declare your interest to work with me in this transaction and also supply me with the following information:
*** YOUR FULL NAME*** YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS*** YOUR DIRECT TEL/FAX NUMBER{S}*** YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION
For information on the death of my late client and his family kindly see this site for your perusals; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4368516.stm

I wait to hear from you urgently,Best regards,
Barrister John Bello (ksj)Equity and Trust Chambers

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam