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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: BARRISTER LADI ROTIMI WILLIAMS <ladi.rotimi.williams@adinet.com.uy>
Reply-To: barr_rotimi_ladi@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 23:12:43 -0300 (UYT)
Subject: NEXT OF KIN TO MY LATE CLIENT.



BARRISTER LADI ROTIMI WILLIAMS (CHAMBERS)
(TAX,TRUST,ESTATE$CONVEYANCER)
102 TINUBU-SQUARE LAGOS
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
REG:# 9545821/78
RE: NEXT OF KIN TO MY LATE CLIENT.

Dear Friend,

Compliment of the day,I am Barrister Ladi Rotimi Williams,a legal
Solicitor. I was the Personal Attorney and legal adviser to Mr.James, a
national of your country.who used to work with Mobil oil Company here
in Nigeria.On the 7th of April 2005, my client, his wife and their
three children were involved in a car accident along Badagery Express
Road,all occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives.

Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any
of my client's extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his
relatives over the Internet, to locate any member of his family but to
no avail, hence I contacted you I have contacted you to assist in
repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before
they get impounded by the bank to government.Particularly,Ecobank
Nigeria Plc. where the deceased had deposited the fund valued at about
Fifteen million, five hundred thousand united states dollars($Us.15.5
million).The bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or
have the account confiscated/impounded before the next one year.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over a
year now, I am contacting you since you are a foreigner to stand as the
next of kin to my late client Mr James.On receipt of your positive
response, we shall then discuss the sharing ratio and modalities for
transfer.

I have all necessary formation and legal documents needed to back you
up for claim.All I require from you is your honest co-operation 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.

Please contact me immediately to enable us discuss further.

Best Regards,
Barrister Ladi Rotimi Williams (SAN).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam