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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",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)
  • "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)
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Alfred Ekeoma" <alfredekeoma1@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: alfredekeoma@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 03:35:11 +0200
Subject: From Mr.Alfred Ekeoma


From Mr.Alfred Ekeoma

Dear Friend,

I am Mr.Alfred Ekeoma,the head of Operation and accounts with a bank here in
Cotonou, Benin Republic.I have a confidential business proposition for you.
On September 24th 2001, Mr. Muller Wagner,a National of Germany, who used
to be a private contractor with the Mobile Petroleum Company in Benin
Republic, Made a numbered time (Fixed deposit) for 36 calendar months,
valued at US$12,000,000.00 in my branch.

Upon maturity in 2004, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding
address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we
discovered from his contract employers, Mobile Petroleum Company in Benin
Republic that Mr. Muller Wagner and his wife with their three children
were involved in an auto crash, all occupants of the vehicle unfortunately
lost their lives.I therefore made further investigation and discovered that
Mr. Muller Wagner did not declare any Inheritors or relations in his Bank
Deposit paperwork in my Bank.

This sum of US$12,000,000.00 have been floating as unclaimed since 2002 in
my bank as all efforts to get his relatives have hit the stones. According
to the Benin law at the expiration of 5 (FIVE) years, the Money will revert
to the ownership of the Benin Government if nobody applies to claim the
fund.Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 3
years now,I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin and
beneficiary for us to claim and share the proceeds of this late client's
account before our bank turns over to our government treasury is unclaimed
fund.We will discuss the sharing once i received your interesting response.

All I require is your Co-operation, Confidentiality and Trust to enable us
see this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed
under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the
law and all contributions and participation fees relating to the transaction
will be duly reimbursed as soon as the deal is concluded. Please get in
touch with me and provide me with private telephone number,your contact
address and your date of birth.You will be entitled to 40% of the total sum.
should you be willing to assist me in this business transaction and I will
get the remaining 40% and 20% will be used to cover and reimburse any
expenses that must have been insured in the process of
defraying Late Mr. Muller Wagner deposit in the bank.

Your positive response will be highly appreciated.

Best regards
Mr.Alfred Ekeoma
Chief Auditor & Head of Accounts
Ecobank Benin(Jericho Branch)
Cotonou-Benin Republic

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam