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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "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. )
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • bcyrilthomas@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Cyril Thomas <wisdom4sure51@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: bcyrilthomas@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 19:01:24 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Dear Friend,


From The Desk Of;
Barrister Cyril Thomas.
Solicitor at law.

My Dear Friend,

I wish to introduce you to a sucessfull business transaction that will benefit both of us, and this transaction has to be keep with honesty and confidential.
I am Barrister Cyril Thomas, an international Lawyer based here in Africa. I wish to introduce you to a business Transaction that will benefit both of us at the end of it, and this transaction has to be keep with honesty and confidential.

The nature of this transaction is about a national of your country who died early last year with his wife and their only two children on a motor accident on their way to lome, leaving behind a huge sum of United state dollars in the bank, but he did not appoint any one as his next of kin.
I am seeking for your consent to present you as the next of kin to my late client since you are from the same country, With your assistance and my professional advise we will get access to claim this fund without any problem at all, meanwhile; I have agreed to give you 30% upon using you as the next of kin. I look forward to hear from you immediately. For the procedure, reply back to me through this my private Email Address: bcyrilthomas@yahoo.co.uk

Also Send your telephone number including your residential address, age and occupation, so that i will proceed to the federal high court of justice to procure the original affidavits of true next of kin in your favour, and i want you to know that this transaction is 100% free risk.

I will notify you with further information and mode of execution in this transaction as soon as i hear from you.

Best Regards.
Barr. Cyril Thomas (Esq.)

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam