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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:
  • "hundred thousand united state 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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "is 100% risk-free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "harley.burton @praying.it" <harley.burton@praying.it>
Reply-To: dr.harleyb@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:17:45 +0100
Subject: Strictly Urgent


Dear Trusted Friend,
Greetings, I am writing this letter out of a genuine desperation to seek
your genuine co-operation to secure this befiting opportunity for our mutual
benefit. My name is Dr. Harley Burton, I'm the Executive Director in charge
of Foreign Investor's Account / Audit Department of a Prime Bank in the
Republic of Ivory Coast "Côte d 'Ivoire" in West Africa.
Sometime in the year 2002, a Foreign investor and broker with majore oil
companies in Africa ( Name Withheld for Security Reason) made a numbered
time (Fixed) Deposit in my branch valued to the total sum of $19.5M USD.
(Nineteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars). Upon
maturity, we sent a routine notification to his forwarding address in USA
but got no reply rather the letter return back to my office as unclaimed and
finally I discovered from my private investigation, that this customer with
3 generations of his entire family perished in a plane crash that happened
in Kenya, East Africa in the year 2003.

In line with our internal processes for account holders who have passed away
with out nominating a next of kin in the account opening file/records, I
have conducted a search in good faith to locate any of the family member of
the deceased customer to claim the estate. This has for the past years been
unfruitful. According to the Laws of my environment, at the expiration of 7
(seven) years, the deposit will revert to the ownership of our Government if
nobody applies to claim the funds.
Presently, I have secretly retrieved all the deceased customer's account
records and files out from our bank database to ensure successful / hitch
free execution of this deal, as I alone have the deposit details and my bank
will release the deposit to no one unless evidence of NEXT OF KIN to the
deceased customer is presented which I shall provide you with " if you agree
to work with me as a foreigner to play the role as the next of kin to this
deceased customer and receive his out-standing deposit into your account for
our onward disbursement so that this deceased customer's abandoned deposit
will not go into the pocket of some corrupt Government officials. Acting in
this capacity really is simple as I will explain in detail to you when I get
your positive response.

PERCENTAGE RATIO: I proposed that when the funds are been paid into your
account, it will be shared 70% for me and my collegue and 30% for you. Well,
I must say that trust flourishes business, therefore let your conscience
towards this proposal be nurtured with sincerity and I will not fail to
bring to your notice that this transaction is 100% risk-free and you should
keep this transaction TOP SECRET bearing in mind that Opportunities such as
this, only come to a LUCKY one's way once in a lifetime. I am a family man
with wife and children, I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing
gained, and that success and riches never come so easy or on a platter of
gold and this is an opportunity to provide my family with new opportunities.
I have evaluated risks aspect and have discovered there is no risk involved
in this deal as the only risk I have discovered is by you refusing to work
with me and alerting my bank .
Besides, my involvement and position in my Bank guarantees 100% of risk-free
and successful execution of this deal if you agreed to work with me. You
should confirm receipt of this mail and assure me by retrun mail that you
will not disappoint me when the fund have getting into your account. This is
the greatest opportunity I have ever had in my banking life. Please, do not
betray my confidence in you. If we can be of one accord, we should trust in
each other.
Awaiting Your Anticipated Response.
Yours Truly and Sincerely,
Dr. Harley Burton

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam