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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "account opening form" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • +2348038968350 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:54:21 +0000
Subject: PLEASE REPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE




FROM MR.JEFFERY ANDERSON.AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNITFOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENTUNION BANK PLCFEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIATELEPHONE +2348038968350.I
am highly delighted to be in contact with you and sorry for the
embarrassment this mail might be to you as we have not met or known
each other before.Firstly,Let me introduce myself. My name is Mr. Jeffery Anderson, I am the auditing and accounting officer of Union Bank Plc
.I got your contact over the Internet in my search for the relatives of
one of our numerous customers who died alongside with his family in an air crash.
During the routine check in my branch, I discovered an abandoned sum of
Twelve million Five hundred united states dollars,(USD$12.5m). in an
account belonging to an expatriate customer Mr.Richard Burson,(77, Venice Isles FL,USA)
, a mining consultant/contractor with one of the leading oil company in
Federal Republic of Nigeria before his accidental death on October31st,1999(news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm), Egypt Air Flight 990.which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.Ever
since then, valuable efforts have been made to get to his people but to
no avail, as he had no known relatives and more so, he used his wife's
name as his next of kin in his account opening forms. I have been
expecting his relatives to come over to claim his money as it cannot be
claimed unless somebody applies officially for it as his next of kin as
indicated in our banking guide but no avail. Unfortunately, I
discovered that his supposed next of kin (his wife and children) died
with him over the plane crash incident.Over
the years, I decided to look for the necessary papers relating to the
deposit in order to make business out of it as the deposit was made in
my branch. Now that all papers are ready, I am asking for your
assistant to release the money to you as his relation/next of kin for
safekeeping and subsequent disbursement. I know that a transaction of
this magnitude will make any one apprehensive but I am assuring you of
the Security of us all as modalities have been perfected for a swift
and smooth operation.You are being contacted because Since nobody showed up for his money and I don't want it to go back into Federal Republic Of Nigeria account
as unclaimed bill when the next audit is conducted. The banking law and
guideline here stipulates that such money if remain unclaimed, will be
transferred into banking treasury as unclaimed effect. The request of a
foreigner to act as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the
fact that the customer was a foreigner and a citizen of Federal Republic Of Nigeria cannot
stand as next of kin to a foreigner. I am ready to negotiate the mode
of sharing with you. I will visit your country for the
disbursement/investing of my share according to the percentages we
shall agree upon after the successful transfer of the money to your
account. I will not fail to bring to your notice that this transaction
is 100% hitch-free and that there is absolutely no risk in it, having
concluded the modalities for a smooth operation and my position in the
bank guarantees its successful execution.All I require is your
honest co-operation, a guarantee of your sincerity and capability to
enable us conclude this deal. Note however that the sensitive nature of
this transaction demands that you have to keep it absolutely
confidential. Please accept my apologies, keep my confidence and
disregard this letter if you do not appreciate this proposition.Thank you very much for your time.Trusting to hear from you immediately,Best regards,Mr.Jeffery Anderson

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam