419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447011133248 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "BARRISTER ALFRED JONES"@mailserver.saigonnet.vn,
alfredjones0007@gmail.com
Reply-To: alfredjones2010@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:05:03 +0700
Subject: READ AND GET BACK TO ME

BARRISTER ALFRED JONES
BOOTH HALL, CHELFORD ROAD,
KNUTSFORD,
UNITED KINGDOM.
TEL:+447011133248

HELLO FRIEND,

PLEASE BEAR WITH ME FOR NOW. WHAT I HAVE MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU.
IT IS A BUSINESS PROPOSAL THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO YOU AND I.
I LIVE IN LONDON UNITED KINGDOM I AM 53 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE BEEN AN
ATTORNEY IN LONDON FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS WHERE I AM PRESENTLY MANAGING
THE ESTATE OF LATE MRS LAUREN BAKER, I WILL GIVE YOU MY FULL DETAILS ON
YOUR REPLY TO THIS LETTER.

MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO SOLICIT YOUR CO-OPERATION AND ASSISTANCE
BASED ON ONE OF THE ESTATE (DEPOSIT) UNDER MY LEGAL MANAGEMENT CONTAINING
$6.5MILLION (SIX MILLION & FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) WHICH HAS
REMAINED DORMANT FOR THE PAST.

THIS ACCOUNT WAS OWNED BY THE LATE MRS. LAUREN BAKER AND SINCE HER DEATH,
ON MAY 1992 VIA A CAR CRASH IN THE BAHAMAS, SHE LEFT NO CHILDREN OR NEXT
OF KIN.I WILL INFORM YOU MORE ON HOW WE CAN GET THE MONEY IN HER ACCOUNT
TRANSFERED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT BASED ON AGREED PERCENTAGE.

IF YOU AGREE TO CO-OPERATE WITH ME ON THIS ON YOUR REPLY TO THIS MAIL.I
WILL ALSO GIVE YOU MORE PERSONAL DETAILS OF ME AND THE TRANSACTION ON YOUR
REPLY.PLEASE TREAT THIS AS CONFIDENTIAL, URGENT AND OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

PLEASE RESPOND ONLY

ALFRED JONES.
+447011133248

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam