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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:
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "lome togo" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: LEO SMART <barrleosmart3@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <barrleosmartesq@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 10:13:16 +0000
Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED NOW.



Barr Leo smart Esq, International Family Law Chambers 14,Rue Du Bouluvards Lome Togo West Africa. Hello, It is my Pleasure writing to you at this moment of the day, I am Barr Leo smart Esq , Principal Founder of International Family Law Chambers, Togo West Africa. I deem it fit to contact you regarding a transaction that will favour both of us in the longrun. I got your contact in my search for a reputable and reliable person to assit me on a financial transaction. Personal attorney to my client, who used to work with Shell Development Company in Lome Togo. Here in after shall be referred to as my client. On December 25th,2003, My client and his wife and their only daughter were involved in a plane crash accident in Cotonou,Benin Republic. Please check site:http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html About 111 passengers lost their lives in the accident. Since then I have made several enquiries to his country's embassey here in Lome-Togo to locate any of my clients extended relatives,this has proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to contact you to assist in repartrating the fund valued at US$14.5 ( Fourteen million Five Thousand US dollars) The fund has been lying fallow without anybody coming to put claim over the money. The finance house where my client deposited the fund currently demands that I quickly provide a beneficiary for the fund because the deposit duration has expired and needs a renewal or withdrawal from their company otherwise it will be handed over to the government. The said fund is now ready for transfer to a foriegn account whose owner will be portrayed as the beneficiary and next of kin to my late client. Since you share the same last name with him, you would be a perfect fund beneficiary in this transaction ,I will assist you to get all neccessary document that will enhance the quick claiming of the fund. You would be the next of kin to the deceased and respond positively like a true next of kin who wishes to speed up the release and transfer of his inherited fund. The finance house is ready to release the money to whoever I present as the true fund beneficiary and next-of-kin to my late client because my late client accorded me with a Letter of Authority (Power of Attorney) duly endorsed in the Lome Togo Court of Justice when he made the deposit, to act on his behalf in times of his absence and inability to act and I was his legal advicing councellor on the deposit and other issues. If the over due fund if not claimed by the end of next month, the government of the Lome Togo will take over the ownership of the fund in line with the Federal Edict Act of 1979. I do not want this to happen, that is why I contacted you for us to do the deal together to portray you as the bonafide next of kin to my Deceased client. If you accept to carry out this project with me, I will offer you 50% of the total sum, while I will take the other 50%. Upon your acceptance to do this transaction with me, I will require you to indicate by sending your phone and fax number, then we can discuss before we proceed with the transaction. All things, going well, we should be able to effect the transfer within a maximum of two weeks. Be rest assured that, this transaction carries no risk, all documents are to be obtained legally but you will be required to maintain absolute tranquility in information secrecy throughout the duration of this transaction, because discussing it with a third party might jeopardise the entire transaction. I am looking forward to receiving your positive response on this project as this will greatly enrich the both of us at the end. Best Regard Barr Leo smart Esq.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam