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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Martha Guei" <marthaaguei0@voila.fr> (may be fake)
Reply-To: marthaa_gu2004@voila.fr
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 19:54:55 +0000
Subject: SOS

MARTHA GUEI.
DAKAR-SENEGAL.
Please reply back to my private mail box:
marthaa_gu2004@voila.fr

Subject : SAVE OUR SOUL.

DEAR,

PLEASE RESCUE OUR LIFE AND HELP US RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY.

THIS LETTER MAY PROBABLY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE YOU NEITHER KNOW US NOR HAVE HAD ANY PERSONAL OR BUSINESS CONTACT WITH US.

MY NAME IS MARTHA GUEI AND MY BROTHER IS CYPRAIN,FROM COTE D"IVORE, SEEKING ASYLUM UNDER (UNCHR) AM 21 YEARS, MY FATHER WAS THE FORMER MILITARY PRESIDENT OF COTE D'IVORE (GEN.ROBERT GUEI) WHO WAS MURDERED BY THE REBELS ON THE 19TH SEPT.2002 DURING A COUP ATTEMPT.

AFTER THE TRAGIC INCIDENT, WE RAN TO DAKAR-SENEGAL FOR SAFETY.

WE WERE INFORMED BY OUR AGED MOTHER,THAT OUR FATHER DEPOSITED MONEY (US$8.2m) EIGHT MILLION TWO HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS,IN A SECURITY FINANCE COMPANY AS A FAMILY TREASURE UNDISCLOSED TO THE SECURITY FINANCE COMPANY WITH ME AND MY BROTHER'S NAME AS THE NEXT OF KIN.

OUR AGED MOTHER ADVISE US TO LOOK FOR A FOREIGNER WHO WILL ASSIST US FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND AND EXPLAIN TO US THAT THE DOCUMENTS OF THE DEPOSIT OF THE SECURITY FINANCE COMPANY IS WITH HER AND LATER HANDOVER EVERYTHING TO US.

THE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WE REQUEST FROM YOU IS THAT WE INTEND TO USE PART OF THIS MONEY FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES OVERSEAS THROUGH YOURSELF PERSONALLY OR YOUR COMPANY AS OUR FOREIGN BUSINESS PARTNER AND A FRONT FOR TRANSFERING THE MONEY TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR SAFTY AND INVESTMENT UNDER YOUR VERYSELF CARE.

THE CONSIGNMENT WILL BE TRANSFER OUT TO YOUR DESTINATION IN ANY WAY CONVENIENT TO YOU.

I AM GIVING YOU THIS OFFERS AS MENTIONED WITH EVERY CONFIDENCE ON YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO ASSIST ME OR ADOPT ME AND MY BROTHER AS YOUR SON AND DAUGHER AND MANAGE THE MONEY FOR US.
THIS TRANSACTION SHOULD NOT APPEAR MUCH A SURPRISE TO YOU.

I WILL LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS AS A SECRET FOR ME BECAUSE OF SECURITY PURPOSE AND OF OUR PRESENT SITUATION AS REFUGEE AND FROM THE EYE OF THE REBELS.
I AM HOPING YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO CO-OPERATE WITH ME IN THIS PROPOSED BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP,PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATLEY ON THE ABOVE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR THE MODALITIES /FULL DETAILS OF THE TRANSACTION.

BEST REGARDS.

MARTHA GUEI.




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