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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge deposit" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: bill jones <odumegwulegalfirm@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2005 07:00:05 -0700
Subject: I Seek Your Consent To Act As Next Of-Kin (Dear Darchuk)


From The Desk Of Barrister
Bill Odumegwu Jones Esq.

Dear Darchuk,

I am Barrister Bill Odumegwu Jones. A solicitor at law. I am the Personal
Attorney to Engr.Mark Darchuk, a National of your Country, who has lived in
Nigeria for the past Twenty years, and whom here in after shall be referred
to as my client. On the 27th of January 2003,my client, his wife and their
two children were involved during Ikeja bomb blast here in my
country.Myclient and his family unfortunately lost there lives.

Please view these websites to confirm what I'm telling you and get back to
me immediately.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2718295.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2698081.stm

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating most especially, the money
left behind by my client and his estate before they get confiscated or
declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were
lodged.Thedeceased had an account valued at about 12 million United
States Dollars and
the bank has issued me a notice to provide the Next of kin, or have the
account confiscated.

My late client did a lot of contracts for different Government in West
Africa and died a very rich man. I seek your consent to present you as the
Next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name so that the
proceeds of this account valued at 12 million dollars can be paid to you, as
my clients Next of Kin, and then we can share the amount on a mutual agreed
percentage. All legal documents to back up your claim as the deceased Next
of Kin will be provided.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing 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 me to enable us discuss further about this
transaction.

Best Regards,

Bill Odumegwu Jones.

PLEASE REPLY BACK TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS:bill_joneslegalfirm@msn.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam