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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "00,000.00" (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: thomasfenner <thomasfenner12345@noipmail.com>
Reply-To: thomasfenner12345@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:20:04 +0300
Subject: Mutual Trust...



Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Barrister Thomas A. Fenner, a legal practitioner with
Fenner & Associate in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . I saw your contact and
profile and decided that you could cooperate with me in this
proposition. I have a client who was deceased in November 2004,in
Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . I am contacting you because you have the
same surname as my deceased client and i felt that you could help me
in the distribution of funds that were left in my deceased client's
account.

This fund is close to been declared un-serviceable by the finance
house as there were no indicated next of kin or next of beneficiary of
the fund in the account, having remained dormant for long. The total
amount of cash in the account of my deceased client is $
5,200,000.00USD ( Five Million, Two Hundred Thousand United States
dollars Only ).The finance house had issued me, a notification to
contact the next of kin of my deceased client, to make beneficiary
claim, ofthe fund in the account, with a month surcharge of 6% to be
deducted as an Escrow safe keeping fee of the account,so as to avoid
the indefinite closure of the account.

My proposition to you is to seek your consent, and to present your
kind self as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my deceased client,
since you have the same last name with him. This means that the
proceeds of his account would be paid to you as his next of kin or the
legitimate beneficiary. When the proceeds in his account are paid to
you, we would share the proceeds on a mutually agreed-upon percentage
of 60% to me and 40% to your kind self.

All the legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next
of-kin would be provided by me. The most important thing I would need
is your honest cooperation in this proposition. This would be done
under a legitimate arrangement that would protect you from any breach
of the law.

If this business proposition offends your Value, feel free todecline
this proposal. Please contact me at once if you're interested by
replying the mail.

Yours Faithfully,

Thomas A. Fenner Esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam