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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • j_harrinson2002@surfy.net

Fraud email example:

From: "James Harrinson" <j_harrinson2004@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006 09:14:03 +0000
Subject: Urgent reply pls

>From the Desk of: Mr.James Harrinson
{GM, Commercial Banking (South)}
Ecobank Bank Plc, Nigeria.
E-mail:J_harrinson2002@surfy.net
Dear Friend,

My name is Mr.James Harrinson {GM, Commercial Banking (South)}. with
Ecobank Plc,Nigeria. Lagos-Nigeria.I came to know about you in my private
search for a reliable person/company to handle a confidential transaction on
my behalf .As a matter of fact, I got your information from the Nigerian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry/Nigerian
Export Promotion Council. l write in respect of a foreign customer with A/C
Number:14-2558-2004,who unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of
Airfrance Airlines Flight which crashed on december 25th 2003, including
his wife and only two children leaving nobody to claim the money. You shall
read more news about the crash on visiting
thissite;planecrashlogontohttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3348109.stm The
owner of this account Mr.Pedro D sebastians an American and great
industrialist ,Since the death of this our customer Mr.Pedro D sebastians, I
have kept a close monitoring of the deposit records and accounts since then.
Nobody has come forward to claim the money in this A/C as next of kin to the
late Mr.Pedro D sebastians The total amount in the account US$15.3m(Fiftheen
million three hundred thousand dollars)and it is a domiciliary escrow bank
account. It is only an insider,the account owner or a next of kin who has
information about the account that could produce the Code or password of the
deposit particulars. Also the funds can only be released to a foreigner.
As it stands now, there is nobody in the position to produce the needed
information other than my very self-considering my position in the
bank.Based on the fact that Mr.Pedro's family perished in the same flight
accident, leaving no one to put claim of the deposit as the next of kin,so I
am seeking for your co-operation to present you as the next of kin to late
Pedro, and arrange for the release of the funds to your honour for our
mutual benefit.
If there is more delay in moving this money out, this money will be pushed
to the Treasury of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am willing to share
this money with you in the ratio of 65 - 30%. You shall have 30% of the
funds While 5% shall be used for the defrayers of any expenses incure , in
the cause of this transaction and the rest for me. I hope this is a fair
sharing? I look forward to hearing from you urgently so that we can proceed
accordingly.
I wait for your urgent response through my alternative email address,
j_harrinson2002@surfy.net
Thanks and best Regards.
Mr.James Harrinson
{GM, Commercial Banking )

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam