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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:
  • "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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "george opobo" <georgeopobo36@biz.by>
Reply-To: barristergeorgeopobo@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:59:55 -0500
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL


*HELLO,

Before I introduce myself, I wish to inform you that this letter is not a
hoax mail and I urge you to treat it seriousness. This letter must have
come to you as a big surprise but I believe it is only a day that people
meet and become great friends and business partners. My name is Barrister
GEORGE OPOBO, the personal adviser to the President of Ghana His
Excellency PRESIDENT JOHN AGYAKUM KUFFOUR. I write you this proposal in
good faith, believing that I can trust you with the information I am about
to reveal to you. Like I said, I have a transaction that will benefit both
of us, as your assistance is required as a foreigner. I have a client
whose name is Mr. ANDREAS SCHRANNER a German .I was his personal Attorney
who acts on his behalf in all his transactions here in ACCRA-GHANA. Since
1999.

Late Mr. ANDREAS SCHRANNER a great German industrialist and a native of
Munich, who unfortunately lost his life along with his entire families in
the plane, crash of CONCORD AIRLINE [Flight AF4590] which crashed on 25th
JULY, 2000. You shall read more news about the crash on visiting this
site, which I got during my investigation;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europ e/859479.stm.

As his attorney here who works for him in all his legal Business and after
his Death His bankers The Bank of Ghana has contacted me with information
that his account has a balance of $12, 00,000 million dollars, The account
is an escrow call account, a secret type of account in the bank and no
other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it apart
from the head of international operations and the account officer, the
account has no other beneficiary. I have kept a close monitoring of the
account since then and nobody has come forward to ask about the money as
next of kin to the late Mr. Andreas Schranner, meaning that no one is
aware of the account.

The Bank knows that i am his personal Attorney and there is no way they
can take this fund to their self.


I cannot directly take out this money without the help of a foreigner and
that is why I am contacting you for an assistance to claim the funds so
that we can invest it together in a profitable Business in your country.
As the Personal Attorney to him, I have the power to influence the release
of the funds to any foreigner that comes up as the next of kin to the
account, with the correct information concerning the account, which I
shall give you.

I am seeking your co-operation to present you as the next of kin to the
account, so that the bank will release the funds to you. There is
practically no risk involved, the transaction will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. If
you accept to work with me, I want you to state how you will invest the
funds in a profitable Business in your country. So that both parties will
be satisfied. We shall share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you.
Contact me as soon as you receive this message if you feel we can work
together, so that we can go ahead immediately. If you are interested in
my request, do send to me the below information so that i will not start
looking for another person,

1) YOUR FULL NAME (2) YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBERS (3) YOUR IDENTITY CARD-
OPTIONAL-(4) YOUR AGE. (5)YOU'RE OCCUPATION.
6. NATIONALITY

BEST REGARDS,
GEORGE OPOBO.
*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam