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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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Fraud email example:

From: "MRS VORKE IDAHO" <henidaho@netscape.net> (may be fake)
Reply-To: vhenidaho@netscape.net
Date: Fri, 7 May 2004 17:56:26 -0700
Subject: URGENT

MRS. VORKE IDAHO
PLOT 13 VICTORIA GARDEN CITY,
LAGOS, NIGERIA..
FAX :234-9-2722361
Email:vhenidaho@netscape.net or vhenidaho@telstra.com

INTRODUCTION: My name is Mrs. Vorke Idaho. I know this
proposal will come to you as a surprise because we
have not met before either physically or through any
correspondence. I have no doubt in your ability to
handle this proposal involving huge sum of money on my
family’s behalf.

THE SUBJECT: My husband Chief Joseph Omoruyi Idaho
(Now Late) was the Royal Head of my Community, Jesse
(an oil rich town) in Nigeria. My late husband’s
community produces 0.5% of the total crude oil
production in Nigeria and 0.05% of the Dollar value of
each barrel is paid to my husband as royalty by the
Federal Government through the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation NNPC.

My husband was also the Chairman of OMPADEC now NDDC,
Jesse branch. In his position as the Royal head and
Chairman of the OMPADEC, Jesse branch, he made some
money, which he left, for our children and myself as
the only thing to inherit. The money is Twelve Million
US Dollars ($12M).

Though this said fund accumulated between the periods
1982-1997. Due to poor banking system in Nigeria and
political instability as a result of past Military
rules (1985-1999), he deposited this Money in the
suspense account of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation NNPC with an open beneficiary in the
Central Bank of Nigeria CBN pending when he would
finish arrangement to transfer it abroad as a CONTRACT

PAYMENT. He was planning this when he died late last
year of Heart
Attack.

THE PROPOSAL: Just before my husband died he called my
attention to the money and charged me to look for a
foreigner who would assist me in the transfer /
investment of the funds abroad. So l would be very
grateful if you could accept to help me achieve this
great objective.

I promise to give you 20% of the total funds
transferred to your vital bank account as compensation
for your assistance. Five percent (5%)would be set
aside to take care of all expenses we may incur during
the transaction. To indicate your interest, contact me
urgently and confidentially for more information and
the roles you will play in this business. All the
legal information concerning this money will be sent
to you as soon as we agree and get this transaction
started.

Send your reply through this mailbox, or see the note
below

Yours faithfully,
MRS. Vorke Idaho.

N.B
I will like you to provide me immediately with your
full names, telephone and fax numbers to enable my
eldest son Henry Idaho to contact you. He will
handle this transaction from beginning to completion
on behalf of the entire family. Alternatively you can
call him on his telephone numbers 234-1-7760637. Ask
him for the code and he shall respond GOODLUCK before
discussion. Just to be sure that you are speaking to
him.






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