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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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "confidentiality of this transaction" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: ben_ibe2000@zipmail.com.br
Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2006 18:30:25 +0200
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?transaction?=

FROM:DR.BENJAMIN IBE.(THE MANAGER.)
PACIFIC CITI TRUST BANK & FINANCE CO.
COTONOU,REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
WEST AFRICA.

Attn: Good friend,
I am Dr.Benjamin Ibe,Director Pacific Citi Trust Bank Sarl.Cotonou Republic
of Benin. Actually,i got your contact from a friend of mind who worked
with United Nation Development Programmes office (UNDP) Regional office
in your country years back, Although the details of my intention was not
made known to him because of the nature of this transaction.

Actually, I know it will come to you as a surprise because we have not met
either physically or through correspondence but that is not the case. Anyway
i have a very urgent and confidential business proposition for you for our
overall mutual interest. On December 23 2003,a canadian Oil Consultant and
contractor,Mr.Jimmy made a numbered time (fixed) deposit for twelve Calendar
months, valued at USD$12,536,000.00 (Twelve Million Five Hundred And THirty
Six Thousand United States Dollars)in my Bank Branch here.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but
got no reply.After a month,we sent a reminder and finally we discovered
from his contract employers, Republic of Benin National Petroleum Corporation
that (mR.Jimmy was among the passengers in the ill fated plane crash that
happened on December 23rd in Benin here. See below,
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html

On further investigation i found out that he did not leave a WILL and all
attempt to trace any of his relations in canada or his next of kin were
fruitless as i was told that he left his country canada in the tender age
and has lived all his life here without any wife or children. I therefore
made further investigation and discovered that (Mr.Jimmy)did not declare
any next of kin in all his official documents,including his bank deposit
paperwork.

This sum of USD$12,536,000.00 is still floating in this Bank and the interest
is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year as no
one has come forward to lay claim on it. According to Republic of Benin
Law, at the expiration of 6 (six) years,the money will revert to the ownership
of the Government of Benin Republic if nobody applies to claim the funds.
Consequently, my proposal is that i will like as a foreigner to front you
as the next of kin of (Mr.Jimmy) so that the fruit of this old man labour
will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials. This is
simple as the head affairs of this bank;

1) I will like you to provide me immediately with your full names, address,telephone/fax
number so that we can proceed on this inheritance claim.

2) We shall employ the services of attorney for drafting and notarization
of the WILL and obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration
in your favor for the transfer.

3) A bank account in any part of the world, which you provide, will then
facilitate the transfer of this funds to you as the beneficiary/next of
kin of (Mr.Jimmy) The funds will be transfered into your account for us
to share in the ratio of 55% for me and 40% for you, While 5% will be mapped
out to cover any expenses which might be incured during the cause of transfering
this funds to the account you will provide.

There is no risk at all,Infact this transaction is 100% risk free and legal
as all the paperwork for successfull completion of this transaction will
be done by the attorney and my position as the Manager guarantees the successfull
execution of this transaction.

If you are interested, please reply immediately .Upon your response, I shall
then provide you with more details and Please observe utmost confidentiality
of this transaction as you know that am still under this management and
hoping to retire immediately this funds hits your account,and be rest assured
that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us at the end
of the day because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in
your country or any other country you might advise me.

I suggest you get back to me as soon as possible stating your wish in this
transaction.On this Email Address: (ben_ibe@o2.pl)
God bless you.

From:Dr.Benjamin Ibe (The Manager.)

Pacific Citi Trust Bank (Sarl) Cotonou Republic of Benin.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam