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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "million us dollars" (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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: albert_ctz_david <albert_ctz_david@gadball.com>
Reply-To: albert_davidcitizens1@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2007 08:05:21 -0700
Subject: I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU FOR A LONG TIME NOW.


From The Desk Of Dr.Albert David.
Auditing Unit,Citizens Bank (Nig) Plc.
199 Adeola Odeku,V/Island,
Lagos,Nigeria.

Dear Respectable One,
 
My name is Dr.Albert David. I work with the Citizens Bank (Nig) Plc.
bill and exchange of the foreign remittance department. I am the
personal Accountant to late Engr.(Newton) a National of your country,
who was a contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES
VICTORIA ISLAND,LAGOS.
 
Here in after shall be referred to as my client On 26th December
2003,my client, his wife, and their three children were involved in
the Benin plane crash, and the whole family died in this fatal air
crash on 26th December 2003 Since then I have made several inquiries
to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended Relatives, this
has also proved unsuccessful.
 
Here is the air crash website on cnn:
 
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html
 
Afterthese several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to get in touch
with the consul-General of your Embassy, In the person of Mr. Brian
Brown, to locate any member of my late client family hence I contacted
you.
 
I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property
left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged,
particularly the CITIZENS BANK (NIG.) PLC. Where the deceased had an
account Valued at ($32 million u s dollars) has issued me a notice to
provide the next of kin. Or have the account confiscated within the
next ten official working days.
 
On further investigation,I found out that:-
 
(A) He has no other living declared relative
 
(B) He had died intestate (without making a will)
 
(c) He was into Real Estate Venture (Realtor)
 
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives till date, I
seek your consentto present you as the next of kin of the deceased
since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account
valued at ($32 million US Dollars) can be paid to you and then you and
me Can share the money.40% to me and 40% to you and 10% for any
charity organization in your country. While 10% for unforeseen
bottlenecks we might incur in this transaction and this will be after
tax is deductted by the (IRS) in your country. An attorney will be
contracted to help us revalidate and notarize all the necessary legal
documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.
 
All documents and proves to enable you get this fund will be carefully
worked out from my table and I will perfect every documents to be in
accordance with the banking laws and guidlines hence you have nothing
to worry about for I am assuring you a 100% risk free transaction.
 
On your soonest reply,I will tell you all you need to know about the
money and operational method we can useto effect remittance into your
account for our mutual benefit.Also include your full name,address and
phone number.
 
I am looking forward for your prompt response.

Thank you very much and God bless.
 
Yours Sincerely,
Dr.Albert David.
 

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam