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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "chambers" (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.
• 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.
  • barristerakajohn5@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: LAW CHAMBER <law_chamber9@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <barristerakajohn5@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 15:35:15 +0100
Subject: From Barrister Aka John



From Barrister Aka John
Eke Chambers#16 Akintola Street.Ikeja Lagos.Office email: (barristerakajohn5@yahoo.fr) Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a lawyer. I am the personal attorney to Late Mr.jack brown
a National of your Country, who used to work as a contractor with CrystalConstruction Company Inc.,herein after shall be referred to as myclient. On the 21st of April 2004, my client, his wife and their threechildren were involved in a car accident along Sagamu express road. Alloccupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then Ihave made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clientsextended relatives and this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts to locate any member of hisfamily, hence I contacted you. I am contacting you to assist inrepatriating the money and property left behind by my client beforethey get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this hugedeposit were lodged. Particularly, the bank where the deceased had an accountvalued above US$10,000,000.00 has issued me a notice to provide thenext of kin or have the account confiscated and the funds returned to thegovernment.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over twoyears now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of thedeceased since you have the same last name, so that the proceeds ofthis account valued above US$10,000,000.00 can be paid to you and then youand I can share the money, 60% to me and 40% to you. I have all thenecessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we maymake. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see thisdeal through.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimatearrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Pleaseget in touch with me by my email and send to me your telephone and fax numbers
to enable us discuss further about this transaction.I await your urgent response and positive attention in thiscircumstance.Please write back through this email address(barristerakajohn5@yahoo.fr) Best regards, Barrister Aka John
LLB, LLM, BL,SANAttorney at Law
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam