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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)
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "DR HARRIS OBI" <drharrison@si2u.com>
Reply-To: drharrisonobi@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 21:37:40 -0700
Subject: ACCESS BANK CREDIT TRANSACTION.



Dear Friend.

It is indeed my pleasure to write you this letter, which I believe
will be a surprise to you as we have never met before, and I am deeply
sorry if I have in any manner disturbed your privacy. Please forgive
this unusual manner of contacting you, but this particular letter is
exceptional and of very private nature. There is absolutely going to
be a great doubt and distrust in your heart in respect of this email,
coupled with the fact that, so many individuals have taken advantage
of the Internet to facilitate their nefarious activities, thereby
making it extremely difficult for genuine and legitimate business
class persons to get attention and recognition. There is no way for me
to know whether I will be properly understood, but it is my duty to
write and reach out to you.

I am DR. HARRIS OBI, an accountant with ACCESS BANK NIGERIA PLC. The
business I am about to introduce to you is based on sheer trust and
with a Sense of purpose. I am contacting you toassist in repatriating 
the sum of US$20 Million (Twenty Million U.S. Dollars). The money and
property left behind by MR. DON EDGAR BUCKLAND who had an accident On
the 21st of April 2001, MR. DON EDGAR BUCKLAND, his wife and their two
Children were involved in a car accident in a remote village called
Kuru near Jos in Plateau State. All occupants of the car Unfortunately
lost their lives.

Since then I have made several enquiries to his embassy here in
Lagos-Nigeria to locate any of MR. DON EDGAR BUCKLAND'S extended
relatives, this has proved unsuccessful even to locate any member of
his family hence I contacted you as his account officer to work with
you before they get his account confiscated, frozen or declared
unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged.
Particularly, the ACCESS BANK NIG. PLC, where the deceased had an
account valued at about (US$20 M) Twenty Milliom United States
Dollars.

Now the management has issued a notice to provide the nextof kin or
have the account frozen. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating
the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you
as the next of kin to the deceased since you are a foreigner so that
the proceeds of this account valued at $20 M, can be paid to you and
then you and I can share the money. 60% to me and 35% to you, while 5%
will be mapped out for any miscellaneous expenses that might be
incured in the course of this transaction.  I decided to link you to
stand as Mr. Buckland's relative / next of kin in order to claim this
money since nobody knew about it because you are a Japanese and I want
to invest my share in Japan since your country has a powerful and
stable economy.

I have made an arrangement with an attorney who will work for us and
secure all the necessary legal documents to back up this claim, and
this I must do to make sure that this fund is not wasted or end up in
the wrong hands. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable
ussecure all the legal documents and see this deal through . I
guarantee you that this transaction will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you and I from any breach of
the law.

If you are interested in this deal, kingly get back to me through
email with your complete information as follows: Your full name, your
address, your Telephone and Fax numbers and your banking Particulars
for the transfer of the funds (US$20 M).

Best regards,
DR. HARRIS OBI.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam