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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.

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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:
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• 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.
  • wqqwfwvfc@rocketmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?Dr=20Charles=20Ghankay?= <wqqwfwvfc@rocketmail.com>
Reply-To: cfg56@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:06:48 +0530 (IST)
Subject: =?utf-8?q?FOR=20OUR=20GOOD=20RELATIONS=E2=80=8F=20?=


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: wqqwfwvfc@rocketmail.com



- Dr Charles Finla Ghankay.Proncipal Partner.Ghankay &Associates,Suit 745, 10th Floor, Phq Complex (Annex).Lagos, Nigeria.I am also the secretary general of the Nigeriamn Bar Association.Dear Partner,Good day, firstly, I apologize for sending you this sensitive information via e-mail instead of a Certified mail/Post-mail. This is due to the urgency and importance of the information. I humbly crave your indulgence to read this e-mail with all seriousness and sincerity of purpose because this project is based on Trust, Confidence and Sincerity of purpose in order to have an acceptable meeting of minds. I am a fifty two(52)years old and an established lawyer. My name is Dr Charles Finla Ghankay ,a solicitor and personal attorney to an expatriate who is also a consultant with an American Oil company,PENNZOIL (Now deceased) He died in the year 2000 precisely on 31/01/2000 in an Alaska Airlines Flight 261 with other passengers on board. You can confirm from the following link: http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/ My Client successfully executed a contract for the Federal Government of Nigerian {FGN} worth US$18.3 million dollars. A part payment of USD9.million dollars was paid to my client, while the balance of USD9.3 million Dollars was still pending and unpaid before my client passed on as indicated above. However, all my efforts to locate a possible next of kin proved abortive. Untill his sudden demise,His name is Juan Marquez and was 44 but not yet married. NOW THE CRUX OF THIS E-LETTER is that the new elected Government Of Nigerian is fully paying all foreign Contractors who have successfully executed their contracts and my client is among those benefited in this last quarter payment schedule which has already been deposited in his bank. As his personal attorney/Adviser, his bank has officially notified and instructed me to forward particulars of my client's next of kin within the next 14 official working days so that he/she can be paid the outstanding USD9.3 Million dollars otherwise his payment will be diverted back to the government coffers account as abandoned bill.Since I have been unsuccessful in locating any of his relatives, I decided to contact you for a deal so that we can work together as a team to remit the money to your account as my client next of kin since It is not my wish to seat and watch my lient hard earned entittlement to go astray, it will be easy for us to achieve. Although I know that a transaction of this magnitude might make anyone apprehensive but I would like to assure that I am proposing this project to you with the best of intensions and acknowledgement and also as a lawyer, I will have the mandate to secure all the necessary legal documents that will be used for this claim. All I require from you is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this transaction will be executed under a Legitimate banking arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. Upon successful conclusion of this project,you will be compensated with 40% of the total fund,while 60% will be for me. Please take out a moment of your very busy Schedule today to respond back if you are interested; i will intimate you with futher details on reciept of your candid response,please include your direct telephone numbers through this email, for an initial confidential,communication. I wish for utmost confidentiality in handling this transaction.Awaiting your reply .Sincerely yours,Dr Charles Ghankay,Principal Partner, Ghankay &Associates}

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam