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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • tonybello207@yahoo.de (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "TONY BELLO" <tonybelloooo@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: tonybello207@yahoo.de
Date: Fri, 08 Sep 2006 08:47:43 +0000
Subject: #STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL & URGENT SIR#

Compliments of the season. Grace and peace and love from this part of the
Atlantic to you. I hope my letter does not cause you too much embarrassment
as I write to you in good faith. Based on the contact address given to me by
a friend who works at the Nigerian Embassy in your country. Please excuse my
intrusion into your private life.
I am Barrister.Tony Bello, I represent Mohammed Abacha, son of the late Gen.
Sani Abacha, who was the former military head of state in Nigeria. He died
in 1998. Since his death, the family has been loosing (sic) a lot of money
due to vindictive government officials who are bent on dealing with the
family. Based on this therefore, the family has asked me to seek for a
foreign partner who can work with us as to move out the total sum of
US$75,000,000.00 ( seventyfive million United States dollars ), presently in
their possession. This money was of course, acquired by the late president
and is now kept secretly by the family. The Swiss government has already
frozen all the accounts of the family in Switzerland, and some other
countries would soon follow to do the same. This bid by some government
officials to deal with this family has made it necessary that we seek your
assisitance (sic) in receiving this money and in investing it on behalf of
the family. This must be a joint venture transaction and we must all work
together. Since this money is still cash, extra security measures have been
taken to protect it from theft or seizure, pending when agreement is reached
on when and how to move it into any of your nominated bank accounts. I have
personally worked out all modalities for the peaceful conclusion of this
transaction. The transaction definitely would be handled in phases and the
first phase will involve the moving of US$25,000,000.00( twenty five million
united states dollars ). My clients are willing to give you a reasonable
percentage of this money as soon as the transaction is concluded. I will,
however, based on the grounds that you are willing to work with us you
should fille this fille for your intrest;
THIS APPLICATION, AND EXECUTION OF THE ATTENDANT
INSTRUCTION.
YOUR CONTACTS DETAILS ARE ASFOLLOWS:
NAME:...... .....................................................
ADDRESS:........... .......................................
TELPHONE NUMBER:..................................
FAX NUMBER...............................................
EMAIL ADDRESS.........................................
OCCUPATION..............................................
MONTHLY IN COME....................................
AGE............................................................
BANK ACCOUNT.........................................
MARITIAL STATUS.......................................
INT'L PASSPORT Y:.....................................
(signature).....................................
and also all contentious issues discussed before the commencement of this
transaction. You may also discuss your percentage before we start to work.
As soon as I hear from you, I will give you all necessary details as to how
we intend to carry out the whole transaction.
Please, do not entertain any fears, as all necessary modalities are in
place, and I assure you of all success and safety in this transaction.
Please, this transaction requires absolute confidentiality and you would be
expected to treat it as such until the funds are moved out of this country.
Please, you will also ignore this letter2 and respect ourtrust (sic) in you
by not exposing this transaction, even if you are not interested. I look
forwards (sic) to working with you.
pleasereply me to thisemail address(tonybello207@yahoo.de)
Thank you.
Truly yours
Barrister.Tony Bello.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam