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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "into your nominated bank account" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Martins Martins" <martins_020@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: barristermartins4@excite.com
Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 12:41:13 +0000
Subject: MATTER OF URGENCY PLEASE

FROM: BARRISTER MARTINS EZE.
33 ILAJE ROAD, ILAJE BARRIGA,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.

DEAR SIR/MADAM,
LET ME START BY INTRODUCING MYSELF I AM BARRISTER MARTINS EZE (ESQ.) I WAS
THE PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO LATE MR. MORRIS .................... AN AMERICAN
WHO WAS A PRIVATE BUSINESSMAN UNFORTUNATELY LOST HIS LIFE IN THE PLANE CRASH
OF ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT 261 WHICH CRASHED ON JANUARY 31ST 2000, INCLUDING
HIS FRENCH WIFE AND ONLY DAUGHTER.
YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT THE CRASH ON VISITING THESE SITES BELOW,
http://www.cnn.com/2000/us/02/01/alaska.airlines.list
http://www.nativefederation.org/history/people/mthompson.html
BEFORE THE PLANE CRASH, MR. MORRIS ....................MADE A NUMBERED FIXED
DEPOSIT FOR 18 CALENDAR MONTHS WITH A VALUE OF US $12.6Million (Twelve
Million six hundred thousandU.S. Dollars) IN A BANK HERE IN NIGERIA.
UPON MATURITY SEVERAL NOTICE WAS SENT TO HIM, ANOTHER NOTIFICATION WAS SENT
AND STILL NO RESPONSE CAME FROM HIM. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT MR. MORRIS
.................... AND HIS FAMILY HAD BEEN KILLED IN THAT PLANE CRASH.
AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT MR. MORRIS
.................... NEXT OF KIN IS HIS DAUGHTER WHO DIED WITH HIM.
WHAT BOTHERS ME MOST IS THAT ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF MY COUNTRY AT THE
EXPIRATION 4 YEARS THE FUNDS WILL REVERT TO THE OWNERSHIP OF THE NIGERIA
GOVERNMENT, IF NOBODY APPLIES TO CLAIM THE FUNDS. AGAINST THIS BACKDROP, MY
SUGGESTION TO YOU IS THAT I WILL LIKE YOU AS A FOREIGNER TO STAND AS THE
NEXT OF KIN TO MR. MORRIS ....................SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO
RECEIVE THESE FUNDS FOR BOTH OF US.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE:
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I HAVE HAD EVERYTHING PLANNED OUT SO THAT WE SHALL
COME OUT SUCCESSFULLY. I PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT THAT WILL BACK YOU
UP AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO MR. MORRIS .....................
PLEASE YOU PROVIDE YOUR FULL INFORMATION SUCH AS STATED BELOW,
[1] NAME: ________________________________
[2] ADDRESS: ____________________________
[3] AGE: _________________________________
[4] SEX: _________________________________
[5] TELEPHONE: __________________________
[6] FAX: _________________________________
[7] OCCUPATION STATUS: __________________
ALSO BE INFORMED THAT THIS TRANSACTION WILL TAKE US JUST 15 WORKING DAYS TO
ACCOMPLISH BEGINNING FROM WHEN I RECEIVE YOUR DATA'S.
AFTER YOU HAVE BEEN MADE THE NEXT OF KIN, I WILL ALSO FILE AN
APPLICATION TO THE BANK ON YOUR BEHALF AS SOON AS I SECURE THE NECESSARY
APPROVAL AND LETTER OF PROBATE IN YOUR FAVOR FOR THE MOVEMENT OF THE FUNDS
TO AN ACCOUNT THAT WILL BE PROVIDED BY YOU.
THIS PROCESS IS 100% RISK FREE AS I HAVE SET OUT ALL THE MODALITIES TO SEE
THAT A LEGALIZED METHOD IS USED BECAUSE I WILL PREPARE ALL THE NECESSARY
DOCUMENTS. PLEASE NOTE THAT UTMOST SECRECY AND CONFIDENTIALITY IS REQUIRED
AT ALL TIMES DURING THIS TRANSACTION. ONCE THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED
INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT WE SHALL SHARE IN THE RATIO OF 55% FOR ME,
40% FOR YOU AND 5% SET ASIDE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL EXPENSES INCURRED DURING
THIS TRANSACTION. IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED, PLEASE DELETE THIS LETTER SO
THAT I CAN SCOUT FOR ANOTHER COMPETENT PARTNER TO CONCLUDE THIS TRANSACTION.
SHOULD YOU BE INTERESTED PLEASE SEND ME YOUR
FULL NAMES, TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER, AND EMAIL ADDRESS.
I WILL PREFER THAT YOU REACH ME VIA THIS EMAIL ADDRESS
YOUR EARLIEST RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER WILL BE APPRECIATED.
KIND REGARDS,
BARRISTER MARTINS EZE

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam