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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:
  • "await your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "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.
• 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.
  • michaeleze@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "michael eze" <michaeleze_7@msn.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2005 11:08:46 +0000
Subject: urgent reply

Dear
I am Barrister .Michael Eze., the Personal Attorney and legal adviser to Mr
Martin ,a foreigner resident here in Nigeria, he is an oil
consultant/contractor with the Nigeria mining Corporation .On The 21st of
April 2001, my client, his wife and their three children were involved in a
car accident along Sagbama Express Road.All occupants of the vehicle
unfortunately lost their lives.
Before he died, he deposited the amount of US$10,000,000 (Ten million
Dollars) under a label of photographic materials to a security company in
(Europe).

Since he died, i have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients
extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives
over the world trade directory, to locate any member of his family but to
no avail, hence I contacted you.
I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my
client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the security
company, were the money was deposited.
Particularly, the security company has issued me a notice to provide the
next of kin, now Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives,
so pls I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of my late
client since you answer the same surname with him.
As i want you to be forward to claim the money, I have agreed to share the
money with you this way, 50% to me and 40% to you, while 10% will be for
miscellaneous expenses that will be incurred in the process of the claim.

All I require is your honest cooperation 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 indicate your full interest and willingness to travel to the
security company and make the claim by sending to me your direct telephone
and fax numbers for easy Communication, your full name and address are also
needed.

Please reply to this email box; (michaeleze@gmail.com}

I await your urgent response.

Best regards,

K N.(ESQ)please act as next of kin to this familyplease act as next pp

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam