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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Kenneth Duncan QC." <bob@netvigator.com>
Reply-To: "Kenneth Duncan QC." <kennethduncanlaw@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2012 17:50:59 +0800 (HKT)
Subject: Treat as Urgent.



Kenneth Duncan & Co. Solicitors,
Legal Practitioners/ Notary Public,
1-3 St Paul’s Churchyard, London, EC4M 8AJ
United Kingdom.

Attn: The President/CEO

Sir/Madam,

I am Kenneth Duncan, a solicitor at law and Queens Counsel (QC), personal Attorney to Mr. Leslie Whitaker, a national of your country, who used to work with the Shell Development Company in London, here in shall be referred to as my client.

On the 21st of April 2000, my client; his wife and their only daughter were involved in a ghastly car accident on the M25 Motorway here in England. All the occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquirers with your Embassy here to locate any of my late client’s extended relatives. These have proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to solicit the assistance of an external partner to help me transfer the funds abroad, hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating abroad the funds, valued at US$12 Million left behind by my client before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the financial organization where this huge amount was deposited.

The said financial / security organization has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have his (my late client) account confiscated within the next twenty-one working days. Since I have been unsuccessful with locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek the consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you.

Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the sharing terms for transfer. I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for the claim. All I require from you is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangements that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please get in touch with me via the above email address or phone number, for more details. I contacted you by email because I believe it is more confidential.

Best Regards.

Kenneth Duncan QC.
(BA, LLB, MA)
E-Mail: kennethduncanlaw@yahoo.co.jp

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