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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lome togo" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +2280429660 (Togo, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:21:02 +0100
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL ASSISTANCE / MEMBERS CRAIGSLIST,


*Barrister Mohamed Yaya, Esq.
Corporate Legal Practitioners,
Arbitrators and Property Consultants.
10 Rue Bud Commerce, Lome-TOGO.
Telephone, +228-0429660.*
*
My Dear,

I am Barrister Mohamed Yaya, A solicitor at law,personal.attorney to a
national of your country, Who used to work with Shell Development Company
here in Lome Togo, As a registered contractor.Here in after shall be
referred to as my client. and it happen that the man registered to me as his
personal attorney.

Unfortunately the man was Involved in Hurricane Disaster which happened on
16 Sep 2005. in Gulf Coast States USA, Which took his life and wife with the
only son, Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy here to
locate any of my clients extended relatives. After these several
unsuccessful attempts,I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to
locate any member of his family to assist in repartrating the fund valued at
US$2.5 million which was left in the bank by my late client, before it gets
confisicated or declared unserviceable by the Kapital Bank Of Afric, where
this huge amount were deposited. *
*The said Kapital Bank Of Afric, has issued me a notice to provide the next
of kin or have his account confisicated within the next twenty one official
working days. Since I have been unsuccesfull in locating the relatives for
over 2years now, I seek the consent to present you as the next of kin to the
deceased since you have the same last names, so that the proceeds of this
account can be paid to you. Therefore, on receipt of your positive response,
we shall then discuss the sharing ratio and modalities for transfer.I have
all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for
claim.

All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this
transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please get in touch with me through the above email for more details.

Best Regards.*

*Barrister Mohamed Yaya, Esq.
Telephone: +228-0429660.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam