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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • greenesteve01@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Steve Greene" <atty_steve@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: greenesteve01@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 08 Feb 2007 22:33:31 +0000
Subject: Late Harold Wilson's Estate

Hello,

Please permit me to introduce myself to you. I am Barrister Steve Greene ,a
Legal Practitioner in London, United Kingdom. I got your contact from the
British Council, and I have decided to contact you so that we can carry out
this mutually beneficial business transaction. My late Client Mr. Harold
Wilson, until his death deposited a total of US$5.5M three years ago with
Barclays Bank, London.He was a Director with Shell Petroleum Development
Company, Gabon.

Since I am the personal attorney of Mr.Harold Wilson, he gave me the custody
of the deposit documents, and as such entrusted me with the Legal Rights to
transfer and execute this deposit to any Next of Kin after his demise.I have
since tried to locate any Next of Kin to Harold Wilson without success,hence
I decided to contact you so that you can rightfully stand as the next of kin
to inherit the deposited sum by virtue of the fact that you will be
trustworthy and can provide an offshore account outside the United Kingdom
to receive the deposit.

This is a staggering sum, and I need a reliable person to help me with
necessary arrangements to transfer the deposited sum out of LONDON.By virtue
of my position as an Attorney, I will arrange the documents in your name so
that you can rightly apply as a Next of Kin to Late Harold Wilson in a
capacity of a Family Member. You will be entitled to 40% of the total sum
should you be willing to assist me in this business transaction, and I will
get the remaining 60%. I will prepare a formal agreement to guide us in this
transaction for accountability purpose.

Please forward me the following details:
Your Full Name
Your Mailing Address
Telephone and Fax Number
Please contact me as soon as possible so that we can start processing the
documents.

Please Reply to Alt Email:greenesteve01@yahoo.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours truly,
Barr. Steve Greene (Legal Practitioners)
12 Camp shill Road,
West Yorkshire,
United Kingdom.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam