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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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • email.abumadu01@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "abu madu" <abumadu@mail.mn>
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 01:25:39 +0200
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL


URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL
FROM THE DESK OF MR. ABU MADU
BANK OF AFRICA [BOA]
OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO
Tel 00226 76 64 78 15


Dear friend,
Compliments,

I am the manager of bill and exchange at the foreign remittance department
of BANK OF AFRICA in Ouagadougou,Burkina faso.

I am writting to seek your coperation over this business deal.In my
department,I discovered an abandoned sum of $7.5 million USD(seven million
five hundred thousand US dollars)only , in an account that belongs to one
of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family in a plane
crash that took place in Kenya,East Africa,the Late DR. GEORGE BRUMLEY,a
citizen of Atlanta,United States of America but naturalised in
Burkinafaso,West Africa and contractor with ECOWAS,(ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF
WEST AFRICAN STATES) .

Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of
kin to come over and claim his money because it cannot be released unless
somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as
indicated in our banking guidelines but unfortunately,all his supposed next
of kin or relation died alongside with him at the plane crash leaving nobody
behind for the claim. It is therefore upon this discovery that I now decided
to make this business proposal to you and for you to stand as the next of
kin,apply for the release of this money into your foreign bank account as
the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent
disbursement since nobody is coming for it and this money could go into the
Bank treasury as unclaimed Bill.

The Banking law and guideline here stipulates that if such money remained
unclamed after five (5) years, the money will be transfered into the Bank
treasury as unclaimed fund.The request for your assistance and maximum
co-operation as a foreign citizen to stand as the next of kin in this
business is occasioned by the fact that the deceased customer was a
foreigner and a Burkinabe cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.

I agree to offer you 30% of this money as my foreign partner as soon as we
conclude up the transaction,being inrespect to the provision of a foreign
account. 10 %will be set aside for expences incured during the business and
60% would be for me.There after I will come over to your country for
disbursement accoding to the percentages indicated.
Therefore to enable the immediate trnansfer of this fund to you as
arranged,you must apply first to the bank as the relation or next of kin to
the deceased,indicating your claims and wherein the money will be remitted.

Upon receipt of your reply, I will send to you by fax or email the text of
application which you will fill and submit to the office of the foreign
remittance director of the Bank Of Africa.
I will not fail to bring to your notice that this transaction is stricly
confidential and i will use my position in this Bank to effect a hitch free
transfer of the fund.

You should contact me immediately as soon as you receive this letter.
Trusting to hear from you immediately.

Please, visit the website below for more informations about the Plane Crash
and the tragic death of the deceased and his entire family, Late DR. GEORGE
BRUMLEY.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/07/20/kenya.crash/index.html

Trusting to hear from you immediately.

My alternative email.abumadu01@yahoo.com


Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Abu Madu

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam