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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: "Barr. Althea Edwin" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <edwalthea2@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2022 03:16:36 -0800
Subject: Good day

I am Barrister Althea Edwin, Attorney at law. A deceased client of mine, who shares the same last name as yours, died as the result of a heart-related condition on March 20th 2010. His heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the Air France plane crash on the 1st June 2009 that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_447

I am contacting you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client before it will be confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at nineteen million British Pounds (£19million GBP) is lodged. This bank has issued a notice to contact the next of kin or the account will be confiscated.

My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, since you have the same last name, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us to see this transaction through.

This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology. I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to keep this matter extraordinarily confidential whatever your decision is, while I await your prompt response. Please contact me as soon as possible to indicate your interest. I would like you to acknowledge the receipt of this email as soon as possible through this email
edwalthea2@gmail.com and treat it with absolute confidentiality and sincerity. I look forward to your quick reply.

Regards
Barr. Althea Edwin
edwalthea2@gmail.com
Attorney At Law

Anti-fraud resources: