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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@walla.com>
Reply-To: meluc5@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 11:44:40 +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 the
claim 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 back
up 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 the
necessary 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 any
breach 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