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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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.
• 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.
  • john_ben_123@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "john benso" <john_ben_14@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: john_ben_123@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 08 Oct 2006 15:12:46 +0100
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam

FROM THE DESK OF Mr. John Benson
24 CREEK APAPA,LAGOS NIGERIA.
DIRECT MOBILE NUMBER:
EMAIL- ADDRESS:john_ben_123@yahoo.com

Dear Sir/Madam

I am Mr. John Benson, An Accountant Officer in a bank here in Nigeria. I am contacting you of a business transfer, of a huge sum of money from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and orried, but I am assuring you that everything has been taken care off, and all will be well at the end of the day.I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.

I am the account officer of a foreigner named Gerald  ,He was among the victim of the bomb explosion that took place on 5th February 2002 Lagos Nigeria.Who is a national of your country and an oil consultant/contractor with via Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) my client deposited thesum of US$15.5Million dollars (Fifteen. five million Dollars)in a bank here in Nigeria. On maturity, after some months I couldn't hear from my client again and finally I discovered from his contract employee(Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas) indicating that my Client was among the
victim of the bomb explosion.

And it was clear that he died without making a will to any of his relation with my office. All attempts have been made to see if I could get any of his relation but all of no available. I therefore decided to look for a foreigner bearing the same name with my Client who will stand as his next ofkin to claim this fund.

The total sum of US$15.5million, is still in the Bank.No one will come and claim it except the next ofkin to my Client. And according to Nigerian banking law, after four years,the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian Government. If the account owner is certified death and no body comes forward to claim it.

This is the situation, and my plan is looking for a foreigner who will stand in as the eneficiary/next of kin. This is simple. All you have to do is to send me Your company name and address if any, Your telephone and fax numbers which I will use to process and procure all the legal papers/documents that backs you up as the true next of kin to my client and I will submit it to the Finance house for proper Claim of the fund and we are going to share in the ratio of (65%for I. 35% for you.)If you are interested, please reply and be rest assured that this transaction could be most profitable for both of us.

I am waiting for your quiet reply.

Respectfully,

Mr John Benson

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam