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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)
  • "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.
  • markfrancis22@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "DR MARK FRANCIS" <markfrancis22@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2006 03:17:31 +0100
Subject:

Ecobank Nig,Plc
Plot 228b,Adeola Odeku Road,
Victoria Island,
Lekki Peninsulla
Lagos Nigeria

Dear Friend,

RE:URGENT FUND TRANSFER

My name is Dr MARK FRANCIS, and I work in the International Operation
Department in a Bank here in Nigeria. On a routine inspection I discovered a dormant domiciliary account with a balance of $12.580million (Twelve million Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand United states Dollars). On further discreet investigation, I also discovered that the account holder Mr Paul Smith, has long passed away leaving no beneficiary to the account.He died with the wife and only son Paul Smith Jnr
on September11,2001 during the World Trade Center Terrorist Attack.The bank will approve this money to you as a foreigner because the former operator of the account is a foreigner and from United States to be specific and I am certainly sure that he is dead, and nobody will come again for the claim of this money

A foreigner can only claim this money and that is as the Next of Kin to the account Holder.Therefore, I need your cooperation in this transaction.I will provide the necessary information needed in order to claim this money, but you will need to open an account where this can be transferred.

If interested, please contact me via my email or the alternative provided under for more information. I wish for utmost confidentiality in handling this transaction as my job and the future of my family would be jeopardized if not handled properly.

I want to assure you that the transaction is without risk if due process is
followed accordingly.

Finally, we shall dicuss the sharing percentage as soon as I receive fom you.

I look forward to hearing from you through this email or markfrancis22@yahoo.com

Best Regards,


Dr,MARK FRANCIS,FCIB,MNI,MON

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam