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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:
  • "greater london" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Melbourne Lucas" <meluc@lloydsbanktsb.com>
Reply-To: meluc5@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 10:17:46 +0000
Subject: Are You The Next of Kin?

Good day,
My Name is Dr. Melbourne Lucas From Harlsden, North West London , here in England.
I work for Lloyd's Tsb Bank London.

I am writing following an opportunity in my office that will be of
an imense benefit to both of us.

In my department,being the Manager (Greater London Regional
Office), I discovered an abandoned sum of $10.5million
USA Dollars ( Ten million five hundred thousand USA Dollars) in an
account that belongs to one of our customers
(Name Witheld) a Foreign National with his surname same as yours,he
unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash
of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000,
including his wife and only daughter.

The choice of contacting you is aroused from the geographical
nature of where you live and with the fact that you
bear the same surname, particularly due to the sensivity of the
transaction and the confidentiality here in.
Now our bank has waited for any of the relatives to come-up for
theclaim but no body has done that so far.

I have personally searched without success trying to locate any of
the relatives for 2 years now, I seek your
consent to present you as the next of kin / Will Beneficiary to the
deceased so that the proceeds of this account
valued at 10.5Million Dollars can be paid to you.

This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages, 60% to me
and 40% to you.
I have secured all necessary legal documents that can be used to
backup this claim we are making.

All i need is to fill in your names to the ducuments and legalise
it in the court here to prove you as the
legitimate beneficiary.

While we have made arrangements with Diplomatic Envoy in service to
move the money through diplomatic process
to your country with all thenecessary papers to enhace depositing
the money in to a bank in your country.

All I require now is your honest Co-operation, Confidentiality and
Trust to enable us see this transaction through.
I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from anybreach of the law.
Please, provide me the following: as we have 9 working days to run
it through, this is very very URGENT PLEASE.

1. Full Name

2. Your direct private mobile telephone number for effective communication

3. Your Contact Address.

4. Your occupation

Your urgent response will be highly anticipated and appreciated.

Best regards,

Dr.Melbourne Lucas

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam