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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)
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • "million us dollars" (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)
  • ",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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • dr.samuelnelson1@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Samuel Nelson" <drsamuelnelson18@mail.mn>
Reply-To: samueldrnelson@myway.com
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:04:01 +0100
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT


ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT
ECO INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC
PLOT 2, AJOSE ADEOGUN STREET
VICTORIA-ISLAND LAGOS-NIGERIA
EMAIL: dr.samuelnelson1@yahoo.fr

Dear Friend,

Re: Transfer of $18,000.000. (Eighteen Million US Dollars)

We want to transfer to overseas {$18,000,000] Eighteen Million United States

dollars from Eco International Bank Nig Plc.I would like to know if you will
be
capable and fit to Provide either an existing Bank account or to set up a
new
Bank account immediately to receive this money, evenan empty account can
serve to receive this money as long as you will remain honest to me till the
end
of this important business transaction.

I am Dr Samuel Nelson Director of Accounts Department of Eco International
Bank plc, during the course of our auditing I discovered a floating fund in
an
account opened with our Bank in 2000 and since 2002 nobody has operated on
this account again, after going through some old files in the records I
discovered
that the owner of the account died without a heir hence the money is
floating
and if I do not remit this money out urgently it will be forfeited for
nothing.

The owner of this account was Engr. Anthony Hamill, a national of your
country an Industrialist. He died since 2002 and no other person knows about

this account or anything concerning it,the account has no beneficiary and my

investigation proved to me as well that Engr. Anthony Hamill until his death

was a Manager with an oil firm in Nigeria.

I am contacting you as a foreigner because this Money can only be approved
to
a foreigner with a foreign account because the money is in us dollars and
the
former owner of the account Engr. Anthony Hamill is a foreigner. I am
revealing
all these information to you with the belief that you will never let me down
in
this business. You are the first and the only person I am contacting for the

business so please reply urgently for me to tell you the next step to take.

You should forward the following information: Your telephone/fax numbers
and your Residential address, which is also needed. You will have to give me
the
assurance that when we meet, this money will be intact pending our physical
arrival in your country for sharing and disbursement of the fund which will
be
35% for your assistance, 60% will be for us while 5% will be set aside to
take
care of all the expenses that would be incurred by both parties during the
course of the transfer.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal
through.I guarantee
that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect
you from
any breach of the law. Please get in touch with me by my alternative email
(dr.samuelnelson1@yahoo.fr) immediately you receive this letter for further
clarifications.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Samuel Nelson

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam