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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:
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister MICHAEL WALTER" <barristermichaelwalter@yahoo.es> (may be fake)
Reply-To: barristermichaelwalter@yahoo.es
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2008 05:23:18 -0800
Subject: Do get bck to me urgently.

Dearest ,

By way of introduction, I am Barrister MICHAEL WALTER, a solicitor at

law. I am the personal attorney to Late Mr. Alexander Litvinenko, A
Russian ex-Spy who was poisoned with polonium-210 and died on the 23rd
of November 2006 at the University College Hospital in Central London.

Before his death my client made a secret and confidential confession
to me that he was poisoned by his Russian Associates. Two weeks before
his death my client handed to me a portfolio which contains some
deposit documents with security code numbers of a deposit worth of
US$5,500,000,00 in a security firm in Europe.

As his personal Attorney I believe that his associates will be coming
after me because my client never told me why they poisoned him rather.

in his confession he told me not to disclose the portfolio to his
associates or any one in the family and that I should be very careful
since his death I have not been myself that is why I contacted you to
assist me as a Foreigner, First to claim this funds in which I will
give you the security codes and every legal backing documents to claim
the funds for investment purpose at which I will give you 40% of this
funds for your assistance.

Also invest with you in your country.
I assure you that there is no risk in this transaction and there will
be no trace of the transfer, please be informed that this is very
confidential, if you are interested write to me in my private email.

All I need is your telephone number, your address which I shall
forward to the company in Europe to enable you claim the consignment.
Subsequently,i will send you his picture before his demise.
Do get bck to me urgently.

Yours Faithfully,
Barrister MICHAEL WALTER

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam