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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Simon Smith" <simonsmithjrak@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: simonsmithjr1@myway.com
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 17:28:14 +0000
Subject: Waiting to hear fro you Asap........Thanks

FROM: Mr.SIMON SMITH
575 Finchley Road
London NW3 7BJ,U.K.
UNITED KINGDOM.
PROPOSITION:FOR ASSISTANT

My name is Mr.Simon Smith. I am a friend and a personal councellor to a
former credit manager and then the account officer of a foreigner named
Gerard St.Germain who died in an air crash along with his wife on the 31st
October 2001 in an Egyptian airline 990,with other passengers on board.
You can confirm this from the website below.

http://www.cnn.com/US/9911/02/egyptair990.list/index.html
My friend resigned from the bank months ago because of internal family
problems,but before his resignaton he was managing the deposit account of
the late Gerard St Germain were he had access to some vital information as
to how the funds will be paid to the next of kin. Since his death, none of
his next-of-kin is alive to make claims for this money as his heir,because
they all died in the same accident, him and the wife, Yvette St.Germain (May
their soul rest in peace).

The bank cannot release the funds from his account unless someone applies
for the claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in their
banking guidelines. Upon this discovery, my friend asked me to look for a
reliable person to stand as the next of kin because he can not handle this
directly since he has worked in the bank, I now seek your permission to have
you stand as a next of kin to the deceased, as all documentations will be
carefully worked out by me and my friend for the funds
valued(US$15,000,000.00) to be released in your favour as the
beneficiary's next of kin.

After five years the bank is permitted by law of UK to send the money to the
treasury as unclaimed bills and the money shared amongst the directors of
the bank.

It is on this basis,that my friend asked me to seek for whom shall be used
as the next of kin/beneficiary to this funds rather than allow the bank
directors to share this money amongst themselves at the end of theyear.

Upon your acceptance, I shall give other details for the successful claim of
the fund.We shall be compensating you with four million dollars(US$4Million
Dollars) on final conclusion of this project for your assistance,US$1Million
Dollars shall be for any unforssen expenses,while the remaining US$10
Million will be shared between me
and my friend.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, please endeavor to contact me
immediately,if not please disregard this email.Send me back your reply
Best Regards,
Mr.Simon Smith


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