419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348096885713 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Brown martines <brownmartins96@outlook.com>
Reply-To: <brownmartins95@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2014 05:37:02 +0000
Subject: =?windows-1256?Q?Attention:?= =?windows-1256?Q?__Business?=
=?windows-1256?Q?_Proposal=2C?= =?windows-1256?Q?_Read_And_?=
=?windows-1256?Q?Get_Back_T?= =?windows-1256?Q?o_Me_Soon.?=
=?windows-1256?B?/v7+/v4=?=

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to introduce
this transaction to you. I am Mr. Brown Martins, An attorney and
solicitor with Freedom Chambers.Please be patient and absorb the
contents of this email which I believe is a message that will be
beneficial to the both of us.I am the legal representative to Late
Stephanos ,A national of Greece who herein after shall be referred to
as my late client. Who died as a result of car crash. Until his death
he was a contractor with Oil Company in Nigeria.Basically, my aim of
writing you is to assist me secure the funds left behind by my late
client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank
where this fund valued at (7.5million Euro) was deposited.As both of
you share the same country it will be easy for me to claim the fund.

I
have a mandate from the bank to present the next of kin to the
deceased or the funds will be confiscated and so far, all my efforts to
get hold of someone who share the same country with this man has
proved abortive.I want you to consider this proposal. If you grant your
consent that I present you to the bank as the next-of-kin and
beneficiary of my deceased client so that the proceeds of this fund can
be transferred to you, then we can share the entire proceeds on a
mutually agreed-upon percentage.

All legal documentation to
back up your claim as my deceased client's next-of-kin will be
provided and I will back it up with the power i have as an Attorney.
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this
transaction through.This entire process will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the
law, Please contact me at once to indicate your full interest.

Best Regards,

Brown Martins.
Senior Attorney . ( consultant)
+2348096885713

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam