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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.BARTHLOMEW AIKONEZ" <aibrownkonezomew@gawab.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: aibrownkonezomew@zwallet.com
Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 12:17:53 +0200
Subject: VERY URGENT

VERY CONFIDENTIAL
FROM: MR.BARTHLOMEW AIKONEZ ATTN:
DEAR: SIR
I AM THE MANAGER OF BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE
DEPARTMENT OF THE BECO BANK SPAIN PLC. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR SUPPORT AND CO-OPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT. WE DISCOVER AN ABANDONED SUM OF US$30,000,000.00 (THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN NOVEMBER 2003 IN A PLANE CRASH. SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE MONEY UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THE FAMILY MEMBER NOR THE RELATION
HAS APPEARED TO CLAIM THIS MONEY, AT THIS DISCOVERY, I AND OTHER
OFFICIALS IN THE DEPARTMENT NOW DECIDED TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU AND
RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION OF THE DECEASE FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SI NCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS AN UNCLAIMED DEBT. THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINES OF BECO BANK SPAIN PLC STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED UNCLAIMED FOR A PERIOD OF THREE (3) YEARS IT WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND. THE NEED FOR A FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASSIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A SPAINIAN CANNOT STAND AS HIS NEXT OF KIN OR HEIR. WE AGREED THAT 30% OF THE MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, THERE AFTER MY COLLEAGUE AND I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGE INDICATED. THEREFORE, TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THE FUND TO YOU AS INDICATED. YOU MUST APPLY TO THE BANK AS A RELATION OR NEXT OF KIN OF THE DECEASED, INDICATING YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER AND LOCA!
TION WHERE IN THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED. UPON RE
CEIPT OF REPLY BY MAIL,I WILL SEND TO YOU BY MAIL THE TEXT OF APPLICATION. AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AND INDICATE YOUR DIRECT FAX AND CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY ON MY
E-MAIL.
aibrownkonezomew@yahoo.com
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR.BARTHLOMEW AIKONEZ
BECO BANK SPAIN PLC



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