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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447031943258 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • tomjames29@excite.com
  • tomjames29@excite.com

Fraud email example:

From: "vladimir baotic" <vladimirbaotic@msn.com>
Reply-To: tom_james000012@yahoo.ca
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:41:54 +0000
Subject: tom james

BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER.
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT.
AFRICA DEVELOPMENT BANK-ADB ANNEXE.
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
ALTERNATIVE EMAIL:tomjames29@excite.com

DEAR:O Boy
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER.
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT.
AFRICA DEVELOPMENT BANK-ADB ANNEXE.
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

GOOD DAY.

I AM TOM JAMES,I AM A CITIZEN OF UK,AND A NATIVE OF AFRICA ,BUT RIGTH
NOW,AM WORKING AS THE Manager in charge of BILL AND
EXCHANGE DEPT UNIT of AFRICA DEVELOPMENT BANK-ADB
ANNEXE. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA with due respect
and regard.

I have decided to contact you on a business
transaction that will be beneficial to both of us at
the end of the transaction.

During our investigations and Accounting auditing in
this bank, my department came across a very huge sum
of money belonging to a deceased person who died with
his entire family on FEBRUARY 14,2002 in an AUTO CRASH
along BURKINA FASO/LOME-TOGO EXPRESS WAY in WEST
AFRICA and the fund has been dormant in his account
with this Bank without any claim of the fund in our
custody either from his family or relation before our
discovery to this development.

Although personally, I keep this information secret
within my self to enable the whole plans and idea be
Profitable and successful during the time of
execution. The said amount was us$18.5M (Eighteen
million Five Hundred Thousand united states dollars).

As it may interest you to know, I got your contact
information’s through south African network
online
programmed and after i prayed for GOD'S divine
mercies, I decided to contact you over this
enterprising transaction that both of us must benefits
from this business of such magnitude without any
problem.

Meanwhile all the whole arrangements to put claim over
this fund as the bonafide next of kin to the deceased,
get the required approval and transfer this money to a
foreign account has been put in place ,further
directives and needed information’s will be
relayed to
you as soon as you indicate your interest and
willingness to assist me and also benefit your self to
this great business opportunity.

In fact I could have done this deal alone but because
of my position in this country as a civil servant, we
are not allowed to operate a foreign account and would
eventually raise an eyebrow on my side during the time
of transfer because I work in this bank.

This is the actual reason why it will require a second
party or fellow who will forward claims as the next of
kin with affidavit of trust of oath to the Bank and
also present a foreign account where he will need the
money to be re-transferred into on his request as it
may be after due verification and clarification by the
correspondent branch of the bank where the whole money
will be remitted from to your own designation bank
account.

May I at this point emphasize that this transaction is
100% risk free as I have made arrangements for a
successful deal before contacting you.

On smooth conclusion of this transaction, you will be
entitled to 30% of the total sum as gratifications,
while 70% will be for me . Please, you have been
advised to keep top secret as I’m still in
service and
intend to retire from service after we conclude this
deal with you.

I will be monitoring the whole situations here in this
bank until you confirm the money in your account and
ask my entire family and me to come down to your
country for subsequent sharing of the fund according
to percentages previously indicated and further
investments, either in your country or any country you
advice us to invest in.

All other necessary information’s will be sent
to you
when I hear from you.

I suggest you get back to me as soon as possible via
telephone and also through this email, stating your
wish in this deal.

Yours Faithfully.

TOM JAMES.
Alternative: email: tomjames29@excite.com
TELEPHONE: +447031943258

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam