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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "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)
  • "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.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348050503269 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: emobinna@comcast.net (Emmanuel Obinna)
Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 08:32:11 +0000
Subject: ATTENTION: HOEKSTRA

EMMANUEL & CO. CHAMBERS
ATTORNEY AT LAW,BARRISTER&SOLICITOR
HEAD OFFICE: 7 FREE LAND APAPA TOWN LAGOS NIGERIA
Tel:+234-805 050 3269


ATTENTION: HOEKSTRA

BEFORE I START, I MUST FIRST APOLOGIZE FOR THIS MAIL TO YOU.I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS CERTAINLY AN UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH TO STARTING A RELATIONSHIP,BUT AS TIME GOES ON YOU WILL REALIZE THE NEED FOR MY ACTION.

MY NAME IS BARRISTER EMMANUEL OBINNA,A SOLICITOR AND THE PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO A CITIZEN OF YOUR COUNTRY ENGR. JAMES HOEKSTRA, WHO USE TO WORK WITH AFRICAN PETROLUEM HERE IN AFTER SHALL BE REFERRED TO AS MY CLIENT.ON THE 21ST OF APRILE 2004,MY CLIENT,HIS WIFE AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. MY CLIENT AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY UNFORTUNATELY LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE DISASTER.


SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE SEVERAL ENQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENT'S EXTENDED RELATIVES, WHICH HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AFTER THESE SEVERAL UNSUCESSFUL ATTEMPTS.MY MAIN REASON FOR CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT BEHIND BY MY CLIENT BEFORE THEY ARE CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY THE BANK WHERE THE FUNDS EDEPOSITED/LODGED.

WHERE THE DECEASED HAS AN ACCOUNT WITH AN APPROXIMATE SUM OF $12.5M UNITED STATES DOLLARS. THE SAID BANK HAS ISSUED ME A FINAL NOTICE TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF KIN OF MY CLIENT OR THEY WILL BE LEFT WITH NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO CONFISCATE HIS FUNDS, A COPY OF THE SAID DEPOSIT CERTIFICATE I WILL FAX TO YOU ON GETTING YOUR REPLY.

SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING MY CLIENT'S RELATIVES FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, NOW I SEEK YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OF MY CLIENT TO THE BANK, GOING BY THE FACT THAT BOTH OF YOU HAS THE SAME NATIONALITY, SO THAT THE SAID FUNDS AS STATED ABOVE I.E, THE SUM OF TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS CAN BE PAID TO YOU INSTEAD OF LEAVING IT FOR THE BANK. WE CAN USE IT TO OPEN A REAL ESTATE COMPANY AND SOME PART TO ASSIST THE CHARITY.

I HAVE THE NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT CAN BE USED TO BACK UP ANY CLAIM WE MAY MAKE.ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST COOPERATION TO ENABLE US SEE THIS ARRANGMENT THROUGH I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW NOW AND FINALY WHEN THE FUNDS GET INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.


FINALLY, KINDLY FURNISH ME WITH THE FOLLOWING:

1) YOUR FULL NAME............................................

2) TELEPHONE:............................: FAX...............

3) ADDRESS:..................................................

SO THAT I CAN SUBMITT IT TO THE BANK AND SECURE THE LEGAL DOCUMENT ON YOUR NAME AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO MY LATE CLIENT.

BEST REGARDS,

BARRISTER EMMANUEL OBINNA(ESQ)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam