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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Larry Weber <ltweb133@msn.com>
Reply-To: <larryweb01@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:47:16 +0000
Subject: Please respond urgently



Dear Friend,



I am Mr. Larry Weber, the Offshore payment officer of the Stanbic
Bank.I am happily married,with a daughter. It may interest you to know
that I am a man of PEACE and do not want problems. I just hope we can
be of help to each other.



In my files I discovered that one of our customer abandoned the sum of
US$25Million (Twenty Five Million United states Dollars) in our
bank.If you don't want this business offer kindly forget it as I wil l
not contact you again.



Mr. Johnson Schultz is a very good customer to the bank,In a record
before my department I was made to know that on the 1st of June 2001,
he and his family were involved in a plane crash,which claimed his
life and that of the entire family.Since I got information about his
death, My office has been expecting his next of kin to come over and
make claim to this money which is
currently deposited in our bank. The Stanbic Bank cannot
release it directly to me or any other person unless somebody applies
for the release of it as next of kin to the deceased as indicated in
our mutual agreement (Between THE DECEASED and the STANBIC
BANK),unfortunately his supposed next of kin died along with him in
the Plane crash.



It therefore upon discovery of this ugly news that I decided contact
you and I will you direction on how to apply to this office (Stanbic
Bank) to assist in securing the money left behind by my friend before
the fund get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.

The request of a foreigner as next of kin in this business is
occasioned by the fact that my customer was a foreigner and the next
of kin died which is the wife died alongside with him .



Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for some
years now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the
deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at USD$25million
can be paid to you. And then you and l can share the money.60% to me
and 40% to you.



All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal
through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.



Expecting a positive response from you.


Sincerely yours,
Mr. Larry Weber

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam