419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (YYYY-MM)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barr." (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.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- donaldburris3@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- 100% risk free. kindly contact me on my private email: donaldburris3@gmail.com or donald.burris54@aol.com for more details. i am waiting (Gmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?=22Barr=2E_Donald_Burris_Esq=2E=C2=AE=22_=3Cseller=40hksportson?=
=?utf-8?b?bGluZS5jb20+?=
Reply-To: donaldburris3@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2017 16:43:22 -0700
Subject: My Dear Friend

Dear Friend,

It is indeed my pleasure to write you this letter, which I believe will be a surprise to you as we have never met before and I am deeply sorry for this unusual manner of contacting you, but this particular letter is of exceptional value and very private in nature. I know that there is absolutely going to be a great doubt and distrust in your heart in respect of this letter coupled with the fact that so many individuals have taken possession of the Internet to facilitate their nefarious deeds, thereby making it extremely difficult for genuine and legitimate business class persons to get attention and recognition, but it is my desire to write and reach out to you as a person based on great fidelity and trust.

My name is Barrister. Donald Burris, an attorney at law; I am contacting you in respect of a business transaction that required your urgent attention. My client Engr. Felipe Gordon and his family died in a car accident on the 7th of August, 2003 and even till now, I have been unable to locate any of his relative. Before his death, he was an oil merchant and made a Deposit of ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND USD (148,500,000.00 USD) with a Bank(name withheld). This fund was set to be used in setting up a GAS PLANT PROJECT IN ASIA.

The fund has remained unclaimed and the Bank will take over this fund if I do not present anyone to claim it. I am seeking for your urgent assistance to stand as the Next of kin to the deceased and receive this fund into your account, as all documentations will be carefully worked out by me for the funds to be released in your favor as the sole beneficiary of the deposited fund. It may interest you to know that I have secured from the probate, an order of mandamus from the court to locate any of deceased families, please endeavor to furnishing me with your full contact information to enable me to file letter of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favor before you can personally appear for the claim. I will provide all vital documents to legalize your status in the claim.

Please note that your share of the fund is 40% for you and 60% for me, I believe that this is a fair deal. If this proposal is acceptable to you, Please contact me at once to indicate your interest, then I will now present you to the bank as the next of Kin to my late client and then, the proceedings for the transfer has been perfected by me to protect you from any breach of the law and your involvement is 100% risk free. Kindly contact me on my private email: donaldburris3@gmail.com or donald.burris54@aol.com for more details.

I am waiting for your urgent reply.

Yours truly,
Barr. Donald Burris Esq.
E-mail: donaldburris3@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam