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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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Fraud email example:

From: "mike connor" <mike01@elvismen.com>
Reply-To: cho01@omaninfo.com
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2005 09:28:49 +0900
Subject: Letter of intent

Mr.Mike Connor,
CHO HUNG BANK.(Head Office)
14 1-ka Namdaemun-ro Chung-ku
Seoul, Seoul 100-757
South Korea.
Branch: 1 Minister Court,
London, EC3R7AA
www.chohungbank.co.kr
cho01@omaninfo.com

I am Mr. Mike Connor, credit officer of CHO HUNG BANK branch in London. I have
an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.
On July 8, 2000, a British Oil consultant/contractor with the South Korea Solid
Minerals corporation, Mr. Phillip Morris made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit
for twelve calendar months, valued at Twenty-eight Million, Three Hundred
Thousand American Dollars only in my bank's Head Office in South Korea.
Upon maturity,a routine notification was sent to his forwarding address but got
no reply. After a month, a reminder was sent and finally the bank discovered
from his contract employers, that Mr. Phillip Morris died from an auto-mobile
accident.
The customer, Mr Phillip Morris, being a British National, my branch here in
London was then given the task of tracing his next of kin or relations to
secure the funds.
On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL,and all
attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.
I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr.Phillip Morris did
not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents,including his
Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.This sum of Twenty-eight Million, Three
Hundred Thousand American Dollars is still sitting in my Bank and the interest
is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one
will ever come forward to claim it.
According to Laws of South Korea, at the expiration of (five) years,the money
will revert to the ownership of the South Korea Government if nobody applies to
claim the fund.
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as
the next of kin to Mr. Phillip Morris so that the fruits of this old man's
labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials.
This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full names and
address so that I will engage the services of an attorney based in South Korea
who will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits that will put you in
place as the next of kin. We shall employ the services of an attorney for
drafting and notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and
letter of probate/administration in your favor for the transfer.
A bank account in any part of the world that you will provide will then be used
facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin.
The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 70% for
me and 25% for you and 5% for Expenses Incurred in the course of the
transaction.
There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done
by the attorney and with my position as the credit officer guarantees the
successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please reply
immediately to my email box.
Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details that will help
you understand the transaction.
Please send me your confidential telephone and fax numbers for easy
communication.
You should observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall also
require your assistance to invest my share in your country.

Regards,
Mike Connor


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