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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:
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • edmond222obi@yahoo.co.in

Fraud email example:

From: "edmond obi" <edmondobi321@msn.com>
Reply-To: edmond123obi@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 08 Oct 2005 05:09:18 +0000
Subject: Please contact me ASAP

Mr. Edmond Obi
First Atlantic Bank PLC
4/6 Adetokunbo Ademola Street
P. O. Box 75369
Victoria Island, Lagos-Nigeria
Tel: +234-1-3214564 to 6; Tel: 234-1-3476564

Dear friend,

This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have not
yet met. The message could be strange but real if you pay some attention to
it. I could have notified you about it at least for the sake of your
integrity. Please accept my sincere apologies. In bringing this message of
goodwill to you, I have to say that I have no intentions of causing you any
pains.

I am Mr. Edmond Obi, Branch Manager, First Atlantic of Nigeria. I managed to
get your contact details through the Internet myself. Time is of the
importance and I am desperately looking for a person to assist me in this
confidential business. A British oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Claude Brian Best made a numbered time
(Fixed) Deposit on January 6, 1999, valued at US$25,000,000.00 (Twenty- five
Million Dollars), for twelve (12) calendar months in my branch. Upon
maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no
reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his
contract employers, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that Mr.
Claude Brian Best died from an automobile accident. 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. Claude Brian
Best did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of
US$25,000,000.00 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 Nigerian Law, at the expiration of
(six) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian
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. Claude Brian Best 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 the attorney will prepare the necessary documents
and affidavits that will put you in place as the next of kin. We shall
employ the service of two lawyers 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
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
60% for me and 40% for you.

There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be
done by the attorney and my position as the Branch Manager guarantees the
successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please
reply immediately via the private email address below;

edmond222obi@yahoo.co.in

Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant
documents that will help you understand the transaction.

Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require
your assistance to invest my share in your country.

Awaiting your urgent reply via my email address.

Thanks and regards,
Edmond Obi

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam