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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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:

• 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)
  • "huge sum of money" (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.
• 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.
  • j_elouise@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Joe Louis" <billmail@purcell.biz>
Reply-To: j_elouise@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2007 16:36:18 +0100
Subject: URGENT/PRIVATE






Dear friend,


Good day!


With warm heart i offer my friendship, and greetings, and i hope this mail
meets you in good time. However strange or surprising this contact might
seem to you, as we have not met personally or had any dealings in the past,
i humbly ask that you take due consideration of its importance and immense
benefit.I must apologize to you for using this medium to communicate to
you about this project. i am sorry if this letter comes to you as an embarrassment
but be rest assured that your particulars of contact was given to me after
a due search, for reliable and capable foreigner that will handle confidentially
a transfer of huge sum of money, from union bank world plc, to a foreign
bank account.


I am Mr. Joe Louis an African born Nigerian citizen and account officer
to a foreign nationality,who used to work with Julius Berger Nigeria Plc
in Nigeria.On 19th August 2002, our late customer was involved in a ghastly
motor accident with his family northwards, during which he lost his life
with his wife and two children.Unfortunately, since we got the information
about his sudden death and the ugly incident that occurred, the management
of my bank made several enquiries on locating any of his extended relatives
who can stand as his next of kin to inherit an estate he left behind in
our custody but all these several efforts also proved unsuccessful and yielded
no results.as his personal account officer/mentor, i also made concerted
efforts aimed at locating a possible next of kin to my deceased client.
What i actually want to do is to present you to my bank as a next of kin
to the deceased client of mine to enable us place claims on a total sum
of (us$32,624,000.00), he deposited in my good bank for safe keeping before
his untimely death.


I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the stated sum he left behind
before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.that was
why i decided to see if i can get anybody who has the same surname or last
name with him via internet preferably some one of the same nationality with
him which i believe you have all the qualities we need.

This intension becomes very urgent due to the fact that the banking laws
and policy here in Nigeria stipulates and provides that if such funds remains
unclaimed after five years, that the bank is legally empowered to freeze
such accounts and the fund transferred into the federal reserve account
as unclaimed fund. Recently the Union Bank Nigeria plc issued a notice of
confiscation, as the account had remained unserviceable since 2001, i was
subsequently given a mandate of 21 official banking days to produce a next
of kin to the deceased or consider the account frozen. due to time constrain
and the fact that i was unsuccessful in locating any relative to my client,
i then wish to seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the
deceased client of mine. so that the proceeds of this account valued at
US$32,624,000.00) can be released through you for our general benefit instead
of allowing his sweat get lost in the bank.


Be informed that i have in my possession all necessary information that
we shall require to back-up our claims. i shall furnish you with further
details as soon as you have indicated your interest to render the desired
assistance. Feel free to contact me on my private email
address stated as follows,(j_elouise@hotmail.com) to enable us commence
actions on this deal instantly.

Your genuine/honest cooperation is required to enable us achieve this purpose;
i guarantee that the entire transaction will be executed under a legitimate
arrangements.

Thanks,
Yours truly,
Mr.Joe Louis

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam