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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: "MUHAMAD HAMEED" <muhamad.hameed@latinmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: hameedmuhamad@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 12:30:56 +0000
Subject: FROM: MR & MRS MUHAMAD HAMEED

FROM: MR & MRS MUHAMAD HAMEED

ASSALAMU ALLAIKUM,

GREETINGS TO YOU. I AM MR MUHAMAD HAMEED AND MY WIFE IS MARIAM HAMEED OF THE ISLAMICREPUBLIC OF IRAQ AND ONE OF THE PALACE FREEWORKER OF PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN IN BAGHDAD.

I GOT YOUR CONTACT FROM OUR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES WHEN I WAS
SEARCHING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL PARTNER WHO CAN HELP ME INVEST MY MONEY IN A LUCREATIVE BUSINESS IN MEXICO ABROAD.

I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION THE SUM OF $118M IN CASH, WHICH
I REMOVED FROM ONE OF THE STRONG ROOM OF THE PALACE
WHEN THE AMERICAN MARINES TOOK OVER BAGHDAD. MY
WIFE AND I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE FUNDS OUT OF
IRAQ FOR SAFE KEEPING THROUGH A BRAZILIAN BANK DIPLOMATIC MEANS TO SAO PAULO, WITH THE HELP OF MY WIFE AND KEEP THE 2
MENTAL BOXES CONTAINING THE FUNDS THERE SUCESSFULLY.


MY PRIMARY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO SEEK FOR YOUR
URGENT HELP TO ASSIST ME CLAIM THE CONSIGNMENT FROM
THE BANK DIPLOMAT FOR INVESTMENT IN A VERY GOOD
RELIABLE PROJECT IN YOUR COUNTRY. A LOT OF IRAQIS HAD
LOOTED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND RAN OUT OF IRAQ
INCLUDING TOP OFFICIALS OF EMBATTLED PRESIDENT SADDAM,

MANY OF US SUCCEDED WHY MANY DIED IN THE PROCESS, I
THANK ALLAH THAT I AM ALIVE AND I WANT TO HAVE AN
INVESTMENT BASE IN YOUR COUNTRY, WHEREBY AS SOON AS
YOU TAKE CUSTODY OF THE FUNDS AND LODGE IT INTO YOUR
ACCOUNT.

IF YOU ARE READY TO ASSIST ME, REPLY URGENTLY VIA MY
E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR DETAILS. THIS PROJECT IS RISK FREE
BUT HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL PLEASE TREAT AS URGENT.

REGARDS,
MR & MRS MUHAMAD HAMEED


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