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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.

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

Fraud email example:

From: "Lawrence McDonald (Esq)" (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 20 May 2014 00:48:47 +0100
Subject: Re: Letter of Intent.

Atty. Lawrence McDonald (Esq)
Senior/Lead Counsel McDonald Chambers
216A High St North Eastham London,
E6 2JA UK.

Our Ref: MDC/MG/P01/6834/01/014.

Dear Sir,

I would like to solicit for your cooperation in a deal that involves the transfer of US $11.7 million to your account for investment projects in your country.

Introduction: My name is Lawrence McDonald, a lawyer by profession. I am the personal attorney to Mr. Mikie Gould, a national of your country, who worked with Nautical Petroleum Plc in UK, hereinafter shall be referred to as my client.

On the 21st of April 2009, my client, his wife and their only daughter were involved in a car accident along the M4 Western Motorway. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several efforts to find any of his relatives but has been unsuccessful.

Business Proposal: Before his death, he deposited US $11.7 million in a Financial Firm (name withheld). After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you because the Financial Firm has issued me a notice to present his Next of Kin within the next 30 official working days or have the funds declared unserviceable and confiscated in accordance with existing law/policy. Since I have been unsuccessful in finding the relatives for over 4 years now, I am actually asking for your consent to present you to the Financial Firm as the Next of Kin and business partner to late Mikie Gould, so that the funds can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money.

I shall provide all the legal documents to back up your claim as Next of Kin to late Mikie. All I require from you is your honest co-operation to enable us achieve this transaction. This proposition is entirely risk free. I will use my position as attorney to late Mikie to help you procure all the required legal papers which will give you full legal protection anywhere in the world.

Note: You may not be anyway related to my late client but I guarantee that if you are willing and interested, I will put all in place in accordance with the Law to legally present you as the Next of Kin to late Mikie and true beneficiary of the funds so that the money will be paid to you. I am considering this arrangement because I don't want the funds to be confiscated. I have decided to give 30% of the funds to charity, while the remaining will be shared equally between us.

If you are interested in this proposal, could you get back to me to enable us discuss in a more vivid manner to the best of your understanding and for further explanation.

Conclusion: The intended transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement. However, if this business proposition offends your moral ethics, do accept my sincere apology.

Thanks. I await your positive response soon.

In all friendship I remain,

Lawrence McDonald (Esq)
Tel: +447053856042
Fax: +442080825593
Email: mcdonaldchambers@hotmail.com


N/B: The contents of this email are confidential. They are intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you have received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. And please do not disclose the contents to anyone or make copies thereof.

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