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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (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.
• 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.
  • barr_benzine_chamber@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Benjamine Zine" <info.barr_benzine_chambers111@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: benzine_chambers111@myway.com
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2006 14:23:13 +0000
Subject: ATTN: FRIEND, PRIVATE LETTER, URGENT REPLY NEEDED.

BARRISTER, BEN ZINE (ATTORNEY AT LAW)
ZINE & ASSOCIATES.
Plot 2B Igbosere Road,
Lagos - Nigeria.
ALTANETIVE E_MAIL: barr_benzine_chamber@myway.com
Private Tele: 234_8068123559

Dear Friend,

I am barrister Benjamine Zine, a solicitor at law, I am the personal attorney to the late Mr. Jim Salim, a national of your country, who was a contractor with Chevron/Texaco Oil Corporation here in Nigeria.

Of course he was one of my ardent clients who held me in great trust. I registered his possession now most (all) of his bank investment, Deposit Certificates, personal will-notes on his estates and his Death Certificates. His Will, favoured his late Children and late Wife, more then any other person.

On May 15, 2001 my client his Wife and Children are involved in a fatal car accident. All the occupants of the vehicle died.

I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my client’s immediate or extended relatives, but these efforts proved abortive.

Well, there is nothing I can do than to immortalize my clients name with what he left behind. Hence I come up to you with these proposals. I prayed God, sought over the Internet, to locate a foreigner who will be willing to stand as the Next-of-Kin, to enable me perfect some documentation and my spirit led me to pick your email and reach you.

I have contacted you in order to follow the due process to assist in repatriating this fund to the native Country of the deceased to our favour before the bank declares the fund unserviceable.

Particularly the bank where the deceased had an account valued USD 6.8m (Six million eight hundred thousand United State Dollars) has issued me a notice to provide the deceased Next-of-Kin or have the account made dormant and unserviceable.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 4 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the Next-of-Kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued USD 6.8 million can be paid to you and then you and I can share the fund. It may interest you that I have reached an understanding with the Acting General Manager of the bank (AGM). Having got the Will and the investment Deposit Certificate and other banking information of the deceased. The Will, will be doctored (altered) to favour you, hence you will stand no risk. It is 100% risk free. All Document to succeed are with one and others will be procurred with little fee without problem.

I guarantee you 100% risk free, the deal and will be executed under legitimate arrangement. The method of sharing this fund if we pull through is thus: 10% of the fund will be set aside to settle all expenses we incurred in the process of pulling the transaction through. The AGM of the bank and I share 60% equally while you take for yourself 30% for helping us. Please get in touch with me via: barr_benzine_chamber@myway.com So that we can proceed with mutual understanding and mutual responsibilities, we will mutually share the proceeds.

Note keep this proposal to your heart and do not escalate it for the job of AGM of the bank must be protected and I will not like to toy with the image and integrity I have build over the years.

I am expecting your most urgent response.

Best regards

Barr. Benjamine Zine (Esq.)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam