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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: "Mrs. Fraca comfort Bob" <mrsfracacomfort1000@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 00:31:08 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Dear Friend Happy New Year


FROM: MRS. Fraca Comfort Bob
HEAD OF ARCHIVES /RECONCILIATION
ECOWAS BANK PLC.
VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.

RE: NEXT OF KIN

GOOD DAY,


DO NOT BE SURPRISED FOR RECEIVING THIS MAIL, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO HARM IN TRYING SOMEONE TRUSTWORTHY PERSON THAT HAVE A GOOD HEART. A NEW RELATIONSHIP WILL GO ALONG WAY TO HELP ME TO KNOW YOU TO COME AND STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A CLIENT LATE MR. PHILIP WHO DIED IN 2003 OF A HEART CONDITION HERE IN LAGOS. SOME YEARS AGO, MR.PHILIP MADE A NUMBERED (OR FIXED) DEPOSIT OF US$15,000,000.00 MILLION IN MY BANK.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE DID NOT MENTION A NEXT OF KIN IN ANY OF HIS PAPERS WITH US OR HE IS A CONTRACTORS - TEXACO OIL. SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN NO RESPONSE TO OUR INTERNATIONAL ADVERTORIALS CALLING FOR ANY RELATIVE TO CONTACT US.

MY DEPARTMENT HAS THE MANDATE TO OVERSEE THE INTERNAL CLEARANCE FOR CLAIMS SUCH AS THIS AND THE FINAL APPROVAL SIGNATURE FOR PAYMENT WHICH I WANT YOU TO STAND BECAUSE THERE IS NO RISK BY LAW, YOU ONLY NEED TO SEND APPLICATION FOR THE CLAIM OF THE FUND ONCE BEFORE THE MONEY WILL BE PAID INTO YOUR ACCOUNT ABROAD.

HOWEVER, PLEASE KNOW THAT THE MONEY WILL BE HARED BETWEEN US, I WILL TAKE 50% AND YOU: 45% WHILE 5% FOR THE EXPENSE WE MIGHT HAVE INCURRED DURING THE PROCESS OF TRANSFER, THERE ARE REASONS WHY WE NEED TO CLAIM THIS MONEY FAST. I WILL GIVE YOU MORE COMPREHENSIVE DETAIL WHEN YOU REPLY.

THANK YOU,

MRS. Fraca Comfort Bob.


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