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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "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)
  • "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)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • atifaban@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: atif_aban@poczta.onet.eu
Date: Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:55:35 +0200
Subject: Your Urgent Asistance Needed.....


From. Mr Atif Aban
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 Atif Aban, 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,anational of USA who died in a plane crash leaving an unclaimed
treasury bills (Bonds) with my bank.

In 2003, my late customer invested intreasury bill bonds here in my Bank in
Ouagadougou totaling 18.3 millionUSA Dollars ($18,300,000.00) which was due
to be collected in 2005 withaccrued dividends. On my yearly appraisal of my
customers at the turn ofevery year, I discovered that this fixed deposit
remained overdue forretrieval. I had put up series of mails and bank
notifications to him which were sent Back uncollected. I later discovered
that he passed onalong with his wife and his relations In a tragic air cras=
h
in June2003.

Since his death in 2003, I have managed his account expectingany of his
extended relatives to come forward to claim his money but allattempts to
trace his relatives over the years has been fruitless sincehe did not
declare any of his relatives information in his bankingrecords with us.
Added to this, professional ethics obligates us to actwith extreme
confidentiality when dealing with clients accounts of thistype.

According to the banking law, the money will be Bequeathed tothe 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 peopl=
e
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, Idecided to contact you to come in as the next of kin
to my late customerso that the funds totalling $18,300,000.00 can then be
transferred to your nominated bank account in your country within 20 workin=
g
days afterwe 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 isrisk free and as the most senior account manager with
the bank be restassured that all documents to enable you get this fund as
the next ofkin will be carefully worked. Do not be bothered that you are no=
t
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 t=
o
you before I send you the certificate of deposit and other relevant
information relating to thisfund transfer.

I need not emphasize the confidentiality of this issueand I therefore appea=
l
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 this email : atifaban@myway.com

Sincerely,
Mr.Atif Aban.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam