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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: Mofe Ayo Richard <mofe_richard@unofree.it>
Reply-To: engr_moferichard@vmx90.multikabel.net
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 04:12:53 +0100
Subject: FROM OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR (FMW&H).

FROM OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR (FMW&H).
MINISTRY OF WORKS & HOUSING
PLOT 2 ELEPHANT HOUSE, GARKI
ABUJA, NIGERIA

Dear Sir,


ESTATE ACQUISITION

I write to inform you of my desire to acquire estates
or landed properties in your country on behalf of the
Director of Contracts and Finance Allocations of the
Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMW&H)
in Nigeria.

Considering his very strategic and influential
position, he would want the transaction to be as
strictly confidential as possible. He further wants
his identity to remain undisclosed at least for now,
untill the completion of the transaction. Hence our
desire to have an overseas agent.

I have therefore been directed to inquire if you would
agree to act as our overseas agent in order to
actualize this transaction.

The deal, in brief, is that the funds with which we
intend to carry out our proposed investments in your
country is presently in a coded account at the
Nigerian Apex Bank i.e. the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN)
and we need your assistance to transfer the funds to
your country in a convenient bank account that will be
provided by you before we can put the funds into use in
your country. For this, you shall be considered to have
executed a contract for the Federal Ministry of Works
and Housing in Nigeria for which payment should be
effected to you by the Ministry, The contract sum of
which shall run into US$26.4 Million, of which your
share shall be 20% if you agree to be our overseas agent.

As soon as payment is effected, and the amount
mentioned above is successfully transferred into your
account, we intend to use our own share in acquiring
some estates abroad. For this too you shall also serve
as our agent.

In the light of this, I would like you to forward to
me the following information:

(1). Your company name and address
(2). Your personal fax number
(3). Your personal telephone number for easy
communication.

You are requested to communicate your acceptance of
this proposal through my above stated email address
after which we shall discuss in details the modalities
for seeing this transaction through.

Your quick response will be highly appreciated.
Thankyou in anticipation of your cooperation.

Yours faithfully,
Engr.Mofe Richard.

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