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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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cotonou" (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: "nelson chukwudi" <georgedoe3@msn.com>
Reply-To: nelson_chukwudi@excite.com
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2006 08:38:28 +0000
Subject: A CALL OF TRUST

Barrister Nelson Chukwudi,
Bangura Chambers Esq,
Solicitors & Advocates.
06 BP 1409 Akpakpa Dodomey,
Cotonou - Benin Republic.

Dear Sir,

 

I am Barrister Nelson Chukwudi, an attorney at law. This mail is written to solicit your assistance to be presented as next of kin to my deceased client Mr Andreas Schranner. He made a numbered time deposit valued US$7.5M,(Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) on September 1998, with an intent of putting up a gold mining company here in Cotonou and upon the maturity this bank started contacting him but to no avail.

 

On 31 July, 2000, my client along with his entire family died in a plane crash of Air France Concorde Airlines. You can read more about the crash on visiting this site(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm/) The Governing Body of the bank has contacted me on this matter, based on the fact that the supposed next of kin, happened to die in the said crash and I am yet to provide any other Next of Kin to lay claim to the fund.

 

Under a clear and legitimate agreement with you, I shall seek your consent to be presented as the next of Kin, so that the proceeds of this account, will be paid to you for our mutual beneift, so that the Bank will not confiscate this fund  as the banking law and guidelines here stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after five years, the money will be transferred into the bank treasury as unclaimed fund.

 

For the sake of transparency on this matter, you are free to make immediate contact with me through my e-mail box, for further information regarding this matter. Thank you very much for your anticipated acceptance while I expect your prompt response.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Barrister Nelson Chukwudi,

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam