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

Fraud email example:

From: "Barr. Patrick Diallo" <patrick_diallo103@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: patrick_diallo101@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 11:14:38 +0000
Subject: INHERITANCE CLAIM/NEXT OF KIN: WOUTERS

ATTENTION: WOUTERS

I am Barr.Patrick Diallo, solicitor and notary public, the personal attorney
to Mr. Mark WOUTERS.Who is a national of your country.On the 21st of April
2002, my client, his wife and their only son were involved in a car accident
along Accra / Kumasi express road.Unfortunately they all lost
their lives in the event of the accident, since then i have made several
enquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives and this has also
proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives
over the Internet, to locate any member of his family but of no avail, hence
I contacted you.I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and
property left behind before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the bank where my client lodge these huge
deposits.Particularly, the bank where the deceased had an account valued at
U.S$22.5 million U.S dollars.

Consequently, the bank issued me a notice to provide the next of kin
or have the account confiscated within a short time.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over some years
now,I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased
since you share the same surname so that the proceeds of the account valued
at U.S$22.5 million can be paid to you for both of us to share the funds 50%
to me and 45% to you, while 5% should be for expenses or tax as your
government may require.

I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to backup the
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 arrangementthat
will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please get in touch with me through my e-mail to enable us discuss
further,Or better still furnish me with your direct contact telephone number
for oral details as
we progress constructively.The bank needs the provison of a Next-Of-Kin so
as to proceed with legitimate transfer modalities.

Thanks for your kind co-operation
Barr.Patrick Diallo

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam