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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "foreign remittance manager" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Johnny Koffi" <johnnykoffi_26@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <johnnykoffi@hotmail.fr>
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 14:57:00 +0100
Subject: Greeting to you.



Dear Friend, Mutual Business Relationship. I am the foreign remittance manager of Union Togolese De Banque; I have urgent and very confidential business relationship for you, On June 6 1999 a major contractor with ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS) made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months. Valued at USD$6.5m dollar (Six million, five hundred thousand US Dollars) the bank sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers that he died in the October, 1999 plane crash with Egyptian air line. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making his "WILL» and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that he did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of sum of US $6.5m dollar (Six million, five hundred thousand Dollars) is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Republic of Togo banking Law, at the expiration of 9(Nine) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Togo Government if nobody applies to claim the fund. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to act as next of kin to him so that the fruits of this old man labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials here in our country. We will share the money in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you and my plan is to invest my own share of the money in your country. Therefore, be kind to clarify the following for my consideration: 1. What other lucrative investments would you suggest as I intend banking, real estate and hotels if they are good business venture in your Country?. 2. Can you be able to make residential documents and purchase a house for me and my family to relocate and settle in your country?. I look forward to your earliest reply.
Yours Truly, Mr Johnny T.Koffi

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam