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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: drharrisonjohn@zipmail.com.br
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 17:40:24 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Partnership?=

Dear Sir,

I am the General Manager of bill and exchange at the
foreign remittance department of the UNION BANK OF NIGERIA.I am writing
following the
impressive information about you. I have the assurance
that you are capable and reliable enough to champion
an impending transaction.
In my department, we discovered an abandoned sum of
US$17.5m (Seven million and five hundred
thousand US dollars), in an account that belonged to
one of our former customers who died along with his
entire family in a plane crash, in November, 1997.
Since we received the information about his death, we
have expected his next of kin to come forward and
claim his money, as enshrined in our banking laws and
regulations. So far nobody has come forward, and we
cannot release the funds unless someone applies as the
next of kin as stipulated in our guidelines.
Unfortunately, We have discovered that all his
supposed next of kin or relations died alongside with
him in the plane crash, and effectively leaving nobody
behind for the claim.
It is consequent upon this discovery that other
officials and I in my department decided to make this
business proposal to you and release the money to you
as the next of kin or relation of the deceased person,
for safety and subsequent disbursement, since nobody
is coming forward for it, and the money is not
reverted into the bank's treasury as unclaimed.
The bank's regulation stipulates that if after five
years, such money remains unclaimed, the money will be
reverted to the bank's treasury as unclaimed fund.
The request for a foreigner as the next of kin in this
transaction is predicated upon the fact that the said
customer was a foreign national,and no citizen of this
country can claim to be the next of kin of a
foreigner.
We agree that 30% of ! the total sum we be given to
you for your assistance in facilitating this
transaction. My colleagues and I are going to retain
60% of the total sum, and 10% will be set aside for
the expenses that we may incur in facilitating the
remittance.
To enable us effect this remittance, you must first
apply as the next of kin to the deceased. Your
application will include your bank co-ordinates,that
is, your bank name, bank address and telex, your bank
account.
You will include your private telephone no. and fax
no., for easy and effective communication during this
process. My colleagues and I will visit your country
for disbursement according to the agreed ratio, when
this transaction is concluded.
Upon the receipt of your response, I will send to you
by fax, the text of the application. I must not fail
to bring to your notice the fact that this transaction
is hitch free, and that you should not entertain fear
as you are adequately protected from any form of
embarrassment
Do respond to this letter today to enable us proceed
with the transaction.
yours sincerely,
Dr Harrison john




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