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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:
  • "utmost confidentiality" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Douglas Obodo" <douglasj@3darenanet.com>
Reply-To: obodo1100@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 12:30:26 +0300
Subject: PLEASE YOU CAN HELP!!!

Hello,

Good day, My name is Douglas Obodo, i am a banker working with a bank here in Nigeria as a Manager. I am writing you in respect of a foreign customer whom made a US$25M depository for an investment program that has remained dormant for years, up till then i did not heard from him not until when i received a news that there was a tsunami disaster in Asia that kill thousands of Indonesia’s, include one of our Bank customer Engr. Ridwan Tanto. Hence, I have decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.On personal investigation, I discovered that the account holder died on December 26, 2004 in tsunami disaster . I made further investigation and discovered that the customer died without making a WILL on the depository.


Right now i am contacting you to know if you can help me to receive the money safely over there in your country as his relatives or next of kin, since all my effort to locate his family with the telephone number he gave me (62898700612) Proved nothing.I should have contacted you through surface mail or courier service, butconsidering the urgency needed to conclude this transaction, i decided to contact you by e-mail for an urgent reason, if you are willing to do this deal, you will have to receive the money in your account/home as the beneficiary next of kin to the deceased family , because all we need is to get the document of (change of ownership account from the federal high court) on your behalf for the transfer.


Please kindly furnish me with your information

1.Your Full Name/Contact Address
2.Your Personal Telephone Number for effective communication.
3. Your Age/Occupation

Please treat this letter with utmost confidentiality and trust. We cannot afford to toy with this rare opportunity of a lifetime. It may interest you to know that this is no Scam or fairy tale email.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, I expect that you will not take undue advantage of the trust I Will bestow in you.

Best Regards

Douglas Obodo

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam