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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.

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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "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.)
  • "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Bassy Warren" <bassy40022@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: babawa@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2007 00:31:59 -0400
Subject: Looking forward to your quick response.

Attention: Dear Friend,

Greeting in the name of the most HIGH. I am delighted to write this letter
to you hoping that you will understand my predicament and respond to it. I
am Dr Barrister Pedro Mendes an Attorney to (Mrs.) Miriam Abacha, wife of
the late Nigerian head of state, General Sani Abacha. I am in possession of
US$50.5 Million, which I want to invest in your country. For clarification
purpose, this money enclosed in boxes is deposited with a security company
to be used for the family support program (F.S.P.) as a guise. This money
($50.5M) was deposited in a private Security Company in the Western Part of
Europe through the Central bank of Nigeria arrangement. I will disclose the
exact location and country in due course of this transaction. This
transaction is 100% risk free so long as I am involved with you.

Please, this transaction demands absolute confidentiality for the security
of the families involved. For your acceptance of this offer to help I will
give you 25% of the total money, another 5% will be used to offset any
expenses incurred by both parties in the course of the transaction. I wish
to use my part of the money for investment and buy a living house for me and
my family in your country, and the balance will be kept for more investment
package also in your country, which will be under your supervision. You are
free to go ahead in this transaction with me.

If we must do this business successfully, we must keep it away from the
public please.

Looking forward to your quick response.

Yours sincerely,

Rui Pedro Mendes.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam