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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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "accredited attorney" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
  • beneso20@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MR BEN <esoben@emsergipe.com>
Reply-To: ige_obi@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:34:53 -0300
Subject: IMPORTANT MESSAGE!!!!!!


Naturally, this letter will come to you as a
surprise,since I am Barrister Eso Ben contacting you
to kindly assist me in the proposition below, which
will be of mutual benefit to us both.
PROPOSITION
A salvadorean, Mr. Ramirez Videurre, 66 years of age
and a very prosperous farmer made a huge bank
deposit for investment in the sum of US$21.2 Million
(Twntyone.two Million, United States Dollars)he
named his wife Mrs. Helga Videurre as the NEXT OF
KIN . I was called upon as an Accredited Attorney to
the bank to sign and endorse documents to this
deposit on Mr. Videurre?s behalf.Unfortunately, Mr.
& Mrs. Videurre were killed in the January 14,
earthquake that rocked El Salvador ,killing
thousands of people and 1200 others were declared
missing. The bank management now mandates me (being
the lawyer that signed and endorsed the deposit
papers for the deceased to trace the family
relatives of the dece! ased so that the fund will be
released to them.
I was made to understand that they had no children.I
made several efforts through the El Salvador High
Commission in Lagos to contact any of the deceased
family relatives, but to no avail.Failure to reach
any of the family relatives of the deceased , the
only option left for the Bank?s Management is to
declare the deceased account dormant and revert the
fund on trading and investment in the interest of
the bank.In order to avoid this development since it
has so farbeen impossible to trace any of the
deceased family relatives. I now seek your
permission and assistance to have you stand as a
distant relatives to the deceased. So that the fund
can be released to you and we can use it for our
mutual benefit.
I hope you do understand my concern in this
matteris, that if we do not use this opportunity to
claim this fund , since the deceased relative! s
cannot be traced,the management of the bank will
declare the deceased?s account dormant and revert
the fund on Trading and Investment in the interest
of the bank.For your assistance, you will be
compensated adequately with(40%) of the total sum
(55%) will be my own share while (5%) will be set
aside to coverany incidental expense made both at
home and abroad prior to this transaction.If you are
interested in assisting me with this matter, please
send to me urgently via my EMAIL the following
details below:
Your Full Name:_____________________
Your Complete Address:________________________
Name of City of Residence:________________________
Date of Birth (Day/Month/Year):__________________
Direct Telephone Number: ____________________
mobile Number: ____________________________
Fax Number:___________________________________
Upon receiving the above details from you, I will
work out eve! ry documents/proof representing you as
the deceased BONA-FIDE distant relative and when
this is done, you will be contacted by the bank for
the release and collection of this fund, which will
be within one week of my receiving the above details
from you .I will meet with you in your country for
disbursement after the fund might have been released
to you and also to discuss investment potentials as
I will like to invest in your country with your
assistance.Be assured that this transaction is 100%
risk free,as I have taken care of all necessary
modalities to enable a hitch free transaction.Kindly
ensure to treat this matter in strict privacy(Highly
Confidential).
EMAIL ME VIA:beneso20@yahoo.co.uk
yours sincerely
Barrister Eso Ben

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam