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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Barr. Justin Henshaw" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rvbch2@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2017 15:07:12 -0700
Subject: Confidential Proposal.

I hope this message finds you well, I am contacting you to assist in distributing the funds left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at GBP 48,350,000.00 ( Forty Eight Million, Three Hundred And Fifty Thousand Great British Pounds Sterling ). This bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated.

My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through.

This will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. If this business proposition offends your moral values, kindly accept my apology. I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to keep this matter confidential, whatever your decision, while I await your prompt response stating your interest in this proposal.

The funds will be transferred in bits to any nominated account of your choice. You will be adviced by the bank to provide a current account, note that savings account will not be acceptable by the bank.

Yours in service,

Barr. Justin Henshaw
(Senior Partner)
Accredited Specialist Lawyer
Barrister and Solicitor (Holland, 1982)
Solicitor (England 1996).

Anti-fraud resources: