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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:

• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Edward Lar <edward@wsra.ac.th>
Reply-To: edward_lar01@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 06 Aug 2006 17:08:13 +0700
Subject: READ THIS

Hello Friend,

I am Mr. Edward Lar, an executive manager in a bank in Nigeria. I was the accounting officer of a foreign national of your country, who used to work with Shell Petroleum Development Company in Nigeria. On the 21st of April 2002, my customer, his wife and their only son were involved in a Plane Crash all occupants of the plane unfortunately lost their lives.

Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my customer’s extended relatives this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the balance of his account valued at (US$11 Million) left behind by my customer before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the share holders of this bank, so that they can share his funds as dividends amongst themselves.

The Bank has issued notice that the next of kin should come forward or have the account confiscated within the next fourteen official working days. Because as at the time of his demise, I was his accounting officer, ever since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 4 year now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you.

Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discus the sharing ratio and modalities for transfer. I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for claim would also be obtained in due time. All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

If you are interested, you should send me the following information:

1. Your full names
2. Your mailing address
3. Your private telephone and fax numbers.

Note, this transaction must be kept in strict confidentiality.

I am waiting to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,
Edward Lar

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam