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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "MR IBRAHIM HAMZA." <ibrahim_hamza01@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: ibrahim_hamza02@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 20:00:41 +0000
Subject: ASSALLAMALAIKUM,MY DEAR FRIEND PLEASE I WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER(FROM MR IBRAHIM HAMZA)

Dear Friend,
Assallamalaikum,

I am Ibrahim Rahman Hamza, a legal practitioner in Malaysia with many
years of practice.I was an attorney to a deceased client of mine who
died
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia of a heart related condition in 2001. My
reason
of sending you this email is to help secure the funds left behind by my
client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank
where this fund valued at $5.7 million dollars was deposited.

Since you do have the same surname with my late client, I would want
to
present you as the legitimate beneficiary with all legal documents
required to back the claim up.

The holding bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or
the account will be confiscated, and so far, all my efforts to get hold
of someone related to this man has proved abortive.

This is my proposal; I am asking for your consent to present you to
the
bank as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my late client, since you
have
the same last name, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to
you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage.
I
do have a good standing in Malaysia, it is my assurance that this
transaction will be successful and that I will make sure that the
transaction is done within the applicable laws to guarantee full
legitimacy.

All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin
will
be provided by me. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable
us
see this transaction through.

This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect
you
from any breach of the law. However, if this business proposition
offends
your moral values, do accept my apology.

Please contact me at once to indicate your interest. Do understand that
this transaction do require utmost confidence and you should keep this
mail to yourself not withstanding if you are rejecting the transaction
or
accepting it.

Note that I reserve the right to reject your acceptance of this
proposal
if I have reasons to believe that you may not be honest or discreet as
it
concerns this proposal.
Further details will be giving as soon as your interest is indicated.

Yours Sincerely,
Ibrahim Rahman Hamza.
Attorney at Law

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam