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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "30% for you " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Alex Okafor" <alex_okafor2@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 12:56:27 -0500
Subject: CAN YOU ASSIST?

From The Desk Of Dr.Alex Okafor
Auditing And Accounting Unit.
Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.
Lagos, Nigeria.

Good day,

Compliment of the day and how is life general with you? Of course it
is my humble wish to solicit and crave your indulgence to make this
project request for a joint business transaction which I hope will not
come to you as a surprise, hence I plead for your pardon .

I am Dr.Alex Okafor,the Auditing and Accounting Unit,Foreign
Operations Department Union Bank Of Nig Plc. I have an urgent and
confidential business proposal for you. On June 6,Engr.Steve Moore made
a numbered time (fixed)deposit for twelve calender months valued at
US$15.500.000.00(Fiften Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) in
my branch. On maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarded
address but got no reply after months we sent a reminder and finally
we discovered from his contract employee (Nigeria national petroleum
corporation) that Late Engr.Steve Moore died from an automobile
accident. On further investigation it was clear that he died without
making a will. All attempts by the Australian to trace his next of kin
were fruitless.


I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Late
Engr.Steve Moore did not declare any next of kin or relations in all
his official documents including his deposit document in my bank. The
total sum of US$15,500,000.00 is still in my bank as dormant acct. No
one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian banking
law, after five years, the money will revert to the ownership of the
Nigerian Government. If the account owner is certified death and
nobody comes forward to claim it.


This is the situation and my proposal is that I am looking for a
foreigner who will stand in as the beneficiary/next of kin. This is
simple. All you have to do is to immediately send me the details of a
bank account anywhere in the world for me to arrange the proper money
transfer document. The money will then be transferred into the account
for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me 30% for you while the
remaining 10% will be set aside for expenses incurred within here and
there.There is no risk involved. I am using my position and connection
in the bank here to do all the document work for the transaction. We
shall employ the services of an attorney to obtain all necessary
documents and letter of administration in your favour for the
transfer.

This transaction is risk free guaranteed. If you are interested,please
reply immediately confidentiality and be rest assured that this
transaction could be most profitable for both of us. Please do not
expose this deal if you are not interested because if you do, it will
take me out ofseat

I await your urgent reply, please feel free to re ply me so that we can
discuss this issue at large.


Alex Okafor

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam