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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:
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Abudu Ali <abudu2@ahmmed.net>
Reply-To: abudu_ali@voila.fr
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:08:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AN URGENT ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED FROM YOU,


From.Mr Abudu Ali
Bill and Exchange manager,
Bank Of Africa Ouagadougou Burkina Faso.

My dear,

I chose to reach you through this medium because it is the fastest and most
reliable way of communication, as I wish to sollicite for your urgent
assistance in what I strongly believe will be of great benefit to both of
us.

I am Mr Abudu Ali, an Accounts Manager with BANK OF AFRICA in Burkina
Faso. The issue I am presenting to you is a case of one of my late
customer,a national of USA who died in a plane crash leaving an unclaimed
treasury bills (Bonds) with my bank.

In 2003, my late customer invested in treasury bill bonds here in my Bank
in Ouagadougou totaling 25 million USA Dollars ($25,000.00) which
was due to be collected in 2005 with accrued dividends. On my yearly
appraisal of my customers at the turn of every year, I discovered that this
fixed deposit remained overdue for retrieval. I had put up series of mails
and bank notifications to him which were sent Back uncollected. I later
discovered that he passed on along with his wife and his relations In a
tragic air crash in June 2003.

Since his death in 2003, I have managed his account expecting any of his
extended relatives to come forward to claim his money but all attempts to
trace his relatives over the years has been fruitless since he did not
declare any of his relatives information in his banking records with us.
Added to this, professional ethics obligates us to act with extreme
confidentiality when dealing with clients accounts of this type.

According to the banking law, the money will be Bequeathed to the
government if it remains unclaimed with the next couple months. However, I
don’t belong to that school of thought which proposes that The fortunes
of unlucky people be given to the government and I am fully convinced that
no one would turn up to execute the letter of Administration to claim his
funds before the next 2 months. Hence, I decided to contact you to come in
as the next of kin to my late customer so that the funds totalling
$25,000.00 can then be transferred to your nominated bank account in
your country within 20 working days after we have filed in your claims
transfer application to the bank.

I will prepare every operation that will assist you to claim the funds As
the next of kin and everything will be left between you and me. The Share
would be 40% for you and 60% for me.

Again, I feel that you may be apprehensive and consider this amount too big
for you to defend. It does not matter, as there are documents to back it
up.This transaction is risk free and as the most senior account manager
with the bank be rest assured that all documents to enable you get this
fund as the next of kin will be carefully worked. Do not be bothered that
you are not related in any way to my late customer as I am in position to
affix your name as the next of kin.

Kindly send your reply enclosing your Full Names, Mailing Address and Phone
Number to my private email address for confidentiality, to enable me talk
to you before I send you the certificate of deposit and other relevant
information relating to this fund transfer.

I need not emphasize the confidentiality of this issue and I therefore
appeal to you not discuss this request with anybody, even if you decline to
take full advantage of this great and urgent opportunity in my bank.

I look forward to your quick reply by email :abudu_ali@voila.fr

Sincerely,

Mr Abudu Ali

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam