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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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 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)
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • barr_jamesosoba2@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "JAMES OSOBA" <j2osoba@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 16:31:46 +0700
Subject: Dear Friend,my regards to you and your family


FROM JAMES OSOBA (ESQ)
Plot 12 Satellite Town
Lagos-Nigeria.


Dear Friend,


My name is James Osoba Barrister at law, and the Personal Attorney to late
Mr. Rick,a foreigner who used to work with Jangle Cement Company here in
Nigeria, on 31st of July 2000, my client and his entire family got involved
With an air craft {US Concorde Flight AF4590} which crashed at
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. killing all 109 passengers on
board, you can confirm from this website:(
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm).

Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my late clients
extended relatives and this has also proved unsuccessful. After these
several unsuccessful attempts,I decided to trace his relatives over the
Internet, to locate any member of his family but to no avail, hence I
contacted you.I have contacted you to assist in repartrating the fund left
behind by my late client because the bank have asked me as his lawyer to
produce his next of kin.

Particularly, the Bank has given me a notice to provide the next of kin to
claim the contract valued at about US$6.5 Million Dollars or have the amount
confisicated,since I have been unsuccesfull in locating the relatives for
over years, now I seek your conscent to present you as the next of kin of
the deceased since you are a foreigner and as well have the same surname
with that of my late client,the proceeds of this account valued at US$6.5
Million can
be paid to you.

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 of your country
and my country too as a professional legal attorney in the field.

Finally,kindly maintain confidentiality between you and I on this
transaction and get back to me via this Email ID (
barr_jamesosoba2@yahoo.co.uk)


I await your urgent response.


Best Regards,

Barrister James Osoba (Esq)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam