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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: "Dr Andrew Pocock" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <robinharry009@yahoo.ca>
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 22:48:05 -0600
Subject: An affidavit on your behalf

British High Commission
No. 19, Torrens Close,
Maitama,
PMB 4808 (Garki),
Abuja


ATTENTION:

Your aclaimed brother was here yesterday to recieve your funds on your behalf.
He visited our office yesterday with the story that you are not fine and
have been admitted to a psychiatric hospital, please kindly reconfirm this
news with a doctor's report to enable us prepare an affidavit on your behalf
and make the wire transfer to the account he provided for the payment.
But if this information is false, kindly get back to us immediately so
we can apprehend him.


Kind Regards
Dr Andrew Pocock
+447024078998
Her Majesty’s High Commissioner to Nigeria

Anti-fraud resources: