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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, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "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.
  • barrfrankobi_008@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Frank Obi" <frankobi008@msn.com>
Reply-To: barrfrankobi_008@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 10:56:20 +0000
Subject: Dear Friend

From The Desk Of:Frank Obi
Legal Practitioner, Solicitors,Notaries
Property & Civil law.
50 Western Avenue,Lagos-Nigeria.
Tel:2348023304981
Email:barrfrankobi_008@yahoo.com
 
Regarding Sir Richard,

With compliments and respect please I beg your pardon for this unsolicited nature, it was out of desperation and Curiosity that made me to contact you, to introduce myself, I am Barrister  Frank Obi, a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to Sir Richard, a nationality of your country, who used to work with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) here in Nigeria, is referred to as my trusted client.
 
On Sunday, 27th of January 2003 at (15:53 GMT), my client, his wife {Lady Anna and their three children {Elizabeth, Dexter and James} were involved in terrible bomb blast that took live of innocent souls and unfortunately over 1000, people lost their lives and my client and his family were part of this people that lost their lives. In view of this please view the web page below http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2698081.stm Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my client's extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.
 
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family or any close name to his,hence I contacted you. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get liquidated or declared Unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged, particularly the ORIENT TRUST BANK where the deceased had his account valued precisely to be USD$ 7,546,810{seven million five hundred & forty six thousand eight hundred & ten.} The bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account liquidated within the next
twenty-one official working days.
 
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a national of same country to stand in as the next of kin ,so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some group of corrupt government officials who will get rid of the money and share it for their own selfish interest and greed. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your prompt 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 USD$ 7,546,810 can
be paid to you and then you and I can share the money according to any agreed ratio.
 
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any Breach of the law.

Looking forward to your swift reply.
 
Truly yours,

Barrister Frank Obi.
 
Please send to me your direct contact telephone
numbers as will like to talk with you one on one.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam