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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: "steve matins" <smatins@skymail.mn>
Reply-To: smatins12@yahoo.fr
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:45:28 -0700
Subject: Mr.STEVE MATINS


Mr.STEVE MATINS
C/O UNION BANK PLC (UB)
56 AJAYI STREET IKOYI
ISLAND, LAGOS NIGERIA ,


Dear ,

I am Mr. STEVE MATINS of UNION Bank PLC .I am the
account manager of late Mr. ERIC SHELTON
who used to work with famous oil company (shell Development )


On the 3rd of April 2007,our customer, his wife and their two children
were involved in a ghastly motor accident along kaduna-abuja(FCT)
express way where all the occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their
lives. Since then
I have made several enquiries to locate any of his
extended relatives and this has proved abortive.

After these several unsuccessful attempts,I decided to contact you for
your assistance to transfer the sum of(US$3.5M) (Three Million five hundred
thousand United States Dollars)
that was left behind by our customer in our bank


The banking Law and guideline of UNION BANK stipulates that if such money
remained
unclaimed for over one year, the money will be converted into bank treasury
as unclaimed fund.


My reason of contacting is for you to provide an account where the bank will
tranfer the money to you.
I agree that 40 % of this money will be for you, and 60 % would be for me,

I also want to assure you that this transaction is risk free, therefore you
should not entertain any atom of fear as all required
arrangements have been made for the transfer .


Awaiting your immediate response

regards
Mr.STEVE MATINS

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