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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:
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "million us 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)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "ben odah" <benodah2035@gmail.com>
Reply-To: benodah000@yahoo.fr
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 16:55:21 +0100
Subject: Hello! My Dear


Hello! My Dear

My name is Ben Odah a Banker and accountant with Bank Atlantique Cote
Ivoire. I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a large sum
of money from a dormant account. Though I know that a transaction of this
magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you
that all will be well at the end of the day.

I am the personal accounts manager to Engr Lake Garcia,who used to work with
an oil servicing company here in Cote D'Ivoire.My client, his wife, and
their three children were involved in the ill fated Kenya Airways crash in
the coasts of Abidjan in January 2000 in which all passengers on board died.
Since then I have made several inquiries to locate any of my clients
extended relatives but has been unsuccessful.After several unsuccessful
attempts, I decided to trace over the internet,to see if I could locate any
member of his family hence I contacted you.

Of particular interest is this huge deposit with our bank here in our
country Cote Diviore,where the deceased has an account valued at about ($16
million US dollars).They have issued me a notice to provide the next of kin
or our bank will declare the account unservisable and thereby send the
funds to the bank treasury.Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the
relatives for over last 6 years now, I will seek your consent to present you
as the next of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account
valued at ($16million US dollars) can be paid to you and then you and I can
share the money.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal
through.I guarantee that this will be executed under all legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
In your reply mail, I want you to give me your full names, address, date of
birth, telephone and fax numbers.If you can handle this with me, reach me
now for more details.
Thanking you for your anticipated cooperation.

Sincerely,
Ben Odah

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam