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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: austin emeka <austin1@cgac.es>
Reply-To: austinemeka02@yahoo.co.in
Date: Tue, 07 Dec 2004 18:26:08 +0100
Subject: Letter of Intent

Cometh Bank plc
Lagos Island Lagos .
Dear Friend,

Please forgive me if I intrude your privacy, we do not know each other but it does not matter. what matters is transperency between us in this deal. I am Mr Austin Emeka an Accountant with Cometh Bank plc. I came to know about you in my private search for a reliable and reputable person to handle this confidencial business transaction. A foreigner, Late Engr Dahlig Michelle a Contractor with the Federal Government Of until his death in Korean Air flight 801, which Crashed in Guam on August 1997, banked with us here at Cometh Bank Plc and had a closing balance of US$20.5M (Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) which the bank unquestionably expects it to be claimed by any available next of kin of the late beneficiary or alternatively be donated to a discredited trust fund for Arms and Ammunition at a Military War College here in Nigeria.

Valuable effort have been made by the Cometh bank to get in-touch with any of the Michelle's family or relative but proved to no avail. it is because of the perceived possiblity of not being able to locate any of the late Engr. Michelle's next of kin that the management under the influence of our chairman and Members Of The Boards Of Director that an arrangement be made for the funds to be declared Unclaimable and subsequently be donated to the Trust Fund for Arms and Ammunition to further Enhance the course of war in Africa and the World in General as you know that war will eventually bring destruction to man kind. In order to avert this negative development, I now seek your permissionto have you stand as the Next-Of-Kin Of . Engr Dahlig Michelle so that the funds US$ 20.5M (Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) would be release and pay into your Bank Account as the Next Of Kin.

This is a deal between you and I only as all Documents and proofs to enable you get this Fund will be carefully Worked out and more so I am, Assuring you a 100% Risk Free Involvment in this deal. your share out of the $20.5m depends on our agreement as we procceed with the deal. I will also like to invest my own part of the money in your country with your help after the transfer. If this Proposal is all right by you then kindly get back to me by e-mailing me thanking you in anticipation of your co-operation.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr.Austin Emeka





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