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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "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)
  • "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "ben oputa" <benoputa15@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: benoputa_55@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 01:36:38 +0100
Subject: CONTACT...


Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Mr. Ben Oputa, a staff of a reputable bank in West Africa. I have an
urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On the 23rd of
Feb. 2005, a contractor made a revolving deposit for 12months valued at
USD$25.5million.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but
got no reply. After a month, we discovered from his contract employers, that
the depositor had died. On further investigation, I found out that he died
without making a will.

The money is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over
with the principal sum at the end of each year. According to the Laws, here
in the West Africa, at the expiration of 10(ten) years, the money will
revert to the ownership of the Government Treasury if nobody applies to
claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to stand in as the next of
kin to the depositor. We shall employ the services of an attorney to arrange
the transfer of rights and privileges of the deceased to you. A bank account
in any part of the world that you will provide will then facilitate the
transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin.

If you are interested, please reply immediately with the following: Your
full names, address, phone number, age and occupation.

Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details. I urge you
to observe utmost confidentiality with regard to this matter.

Finally I shall require your assistance to invest my share upon completion
of this transaction.

Best regards,

Mr. Ben Oputa.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam