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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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "dr lucky ighinedion" <ok_food@msn.com>
Reply-To: luckyighinedion@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2006 18:03:35 +0000
Subject: URGENT REPLY

DR. LUCKY IGHINEDIUM
BRANCH MANAGER FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC INVESTMENT-ZONE,
MARINA BRANCH LAGOS NIGERIA

I AM DR. LUCKY IGHINEDIUM. BRANCH MANAGER FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC,
INVESTMENT-ZONE, MARINA BRANCH, LAGOS/NIGERIA. I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH
THE INTERNET, I WANT YOU TO PLEASE GIVE AN URGENT AND VERY CONFIDENTIAL
APPROACH TO THIS MESSAGE, ON JANUARY 7, 1999, AN AMERICA OIL
CONSULTANT/CONTRACTOR WITH THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION. MR.
CHARLES BALLASSI MADE DEPOSIT VALUED AT (US$15,700,000.00(FIFTEEN MILLION,
SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) IN MY BRANCH UPON MATURITY, I SENT A ROUTINE
NOTIFICATION TO HIS FORWARDING ADDRESS AND NO REPLY, AFTER A MONTH, I SENT A
REMINDER AND FINALLY I DISCOVERED FROM HIS CONTRACT EMPLOYERS, THE NIGERIAN
NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION THAT MR. CHARLES BALLASSI DIED IN THE PLANE
CRASH OF 31 OCTOBER 1999 WITH EGYPTIAN AIR 990 WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ABOARD
AS YOU CAN CONFIRM IT YOURSELF VIA THIS WEBSITE BELOW:
http://www.cnn.com/us/9911/02/egyptair990.list/index.html
ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND OUT THAT HE DIED WITHOUT MAKING ANY WILL,
AND ALL EFFORTS MADE TO TRACE HIS FAMILY PROVED ABORTIVE, I THEREFORE MADE
FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE FILE AND DISCOVERED THAT MR. CHARLES BALLASSI
DID NOT DECLEAR ANY NEXT OF KIN OR RELATIONS IN HIS ENTIRE OFFICIAL
DOCUMENTS. INCLUDING HIS BANK DEPOSIT CERTIFICATE IN MY BANK. THIS SUM OF
US$15,700,000.00 IS STILL IN MY BANK AND THE INTEREST IS BEING ROLLED OVER
WITH THE PRINCIPAL SUM AT THE END OF EACH YEAR, NO BODY EVER CAME FORWARD TO
CLAIM THIS FUND, PRESENTLY THERE IS A STANDING ORDER FROM THE MINISTRY OF
FINANCE TO AUDIT ALL CUSTOMERS ACCOUNT IN COMMERCIAL BANKS IN NIGERIA BY
NEXT MONTH AND IF THIS FUND IS DISCOVERED STILL DORMANT IN THIS ACCOUNT THE
FUND WILL BE TRANSFERED TO THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA TREASURY ACCOUNT.
IT WILL BE OF NO BENEFIT FOR YOU AND I. NOW, MY PROPOSAL IS THAT I WILL LIKE
YOU TO FORWARD YOUR INFORMATIONS TO ME SO THAT I WILL USE YOUR INFORMATION
TO UPDATE YOU AS (NEXT OF KIN) TO MR. CHARLES BALLASSI SO THAT YOU WILL
RECIEVE THIS MONEY AS THE NEXT OF KIN OF MR CHARLES BALLASSI. I HAVE MADE A
VERY SOLID ARRANGEGMENTS WITH FEDEX AGENTS THAT WILL BE DELIVERING THE FUND
IN BITS OF $500.000.00 USD PACKAGED INSIDE PLASMA TELEVISION AS CONSIGNMENT
TO YOU. WE SHALL IMMEDIATELY TAKE THIS STEP: I WILL LOOK FOR A LAWYER WHOM
WILL PREPARE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS THAT WILL PUT YOU IN PLACE AS THE NEXT
OF KIN TO MR CHARLES BALLASSI ON YOUR BEHALF, I WILL PAY ALL THE CHARGES OF
THE LAWYER, THE LAWYER WILL DRAFT THE NOTARIZATION OF THE WILL OF ACCOUNT
AND OBTAIN THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND OF LETTER OF PROBATE/ADMINISTRATION
OF FUND IN YOUR FAVOR, I WILL THEN USE MY POSITION AS THE BANK MANAGER TO
FACILITATE ALL THE DOCUMENTATIONS WITH YOUR INFORMATIONS AS THE
BENEFICIARY/NEXT OF KIN TO MR CHARLES BALLASSI.
THIS FUND CANNOT BE TRANSFERED THROUGH BANK TO BANK BECAUSE OF MY GOVERNMENT
AND YOUR GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL POLICIES, I HAVE MADE A VERY SOLID
ARRANGEMENTS WITH A DOPLOMATIC COURIER COMPANY THAT WILL DELIVER THE FUND TO
YOU IN CONSIGNMENT TO THE SHIPPING ADRRESS THAT YOU SHALL PROVIDE, AFTER
WHICH YOU WILL BE REWARDED WITH 40% OF THE TOTAL FUND. I GUARANTEE YOU
FAITHFULLY THAT WE WILL SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTE THE FIRST TRANSACTION WITHIN 5
WORKING DAYS OF YOUR RESPONSE. PLEASE UPON THE RECEIPT OF THIS MESSAGE, SEND
TO ME THE FOLLOWING IMMEDIATELY: 1. YOUR FULL NAME AND THE SHIPPING ADDRESS
WITH ZIP CODE 2. YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE, MOBILE PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR
EASY COMUNICATION WITH YOU.
AWAITING YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.
THANKS AND REGARDS, DR. LUCKY IGHINEDIUM.
BRANCH MANAGER FIRST BANK NIGERIA PLC, INVESTMENT-ZONE NIGERIA PLC. MARINA,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam