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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:

• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Jim Berger" <jimberger101@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 06:57:15 -0800
Subject: Re: Business Assitance


Let me start by introducing myself properly to
you.I am MR.JIM EKE BERGER the Chief Accountant of the
Union Bank of Nigeria Victoria Island Branch, Lagos.
I came to know of you in my private search for a
reliable and reputable person to handle the
confidential transaction, which involves the transfer
of a huge sum of money to a foreign account requiring
maximum confidence.A foreigner,Mr Colman Smith a national of your country,
who died on Sunday,2 February 2003 in the Ikeja bomb blast here in my
country
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2718295.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2698081.stm.

Until his death he banked with us and had a closing balance as at the
end of March 2003 worth (USD$9.750M Nine Million,Seven hundred
United States Dollars)which the Bank now expects a
next of kin to claim as beneficiary.
Valuable efforts are being made by Union Bank of
Nigeria to get in touch with any of the late customers family
or relatives but there has been no success.

It is because of the perceived possibility of not
being able to locate the late customers next of
kin The management under the influence of our
Chairman and members of the Board of Directors,
retired Major General Umaru Shelling, that arrangement
has been made for the funds to be declared
"UNCLAIMABLE" and subsequently be donated
In order to avert this negative development, I now
seek your permission to have you stand as the
next-of-kin to late customer so that the funds
will be transfered to your account.

You will be presented as the next of kin,
I shall assemble all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used
to back up our claim .All I require is your honest cooperation to
enable us see this deal through I guarantee that this will be executed
under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any Breach of
the law. Please get in touch with and reply this mail as soon as
possible.

Lastly, furnish me with your most confidential
telephone,fax No,and your bank coordinates so
that I can use these information to apply for the
release and subsequent transfer of the funds in your
favour.

Thanks for your anticipated co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

MR.JIM EKE BERGER
Accountant General,
Union Bank of Nigeria,
Victoria Island Branch Lagos.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam