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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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348036410695 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • steve_douglas45@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: Steven Douglas <wisdom4sure51@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: steve_douglas45@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 09:37:28 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Dear Friend,


>From The Desk Of;
Barr. Steven Douglas,
Plot 12 Abiodu crecent
Ikoyi Lagos Nigeria.
Email: steve_douglas45@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: +234-803-641-0695

Dear Friend,

This is for your private attention, I wish to introduce you to a business transaction that will benefit both of us, and this transaction has to be keep with honesty and confidential. I am Barr. Steven Douglas, an international Lawyer based here in Africa. I wish to introduce you to a business transaction that will benefit both of us, 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 this year with his wife and their two children on a motor accident leaving behind his inherritance fund but 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 40% of the total amount upon using you as the next of kin. I look forward to hear from you immediately. Also Send your telephone number including your residential address, age and occupation for the procedure, I want you to know that this transaction is 100% confidential.

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

Thanks and God Bless.

Best Regards.
Barr. Steven Douglas (Esq.)


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam