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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: MASON MAKWE <makwe24@zwallet.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 17:06:44 +0100
Subject: PARTNERSHIP

Dear Sir/madam

I am interested in your partnership in business dealing. This business proposal I wish to intimate you with
is of mutual
benefit and it's success is entirely based on mutual trust,
cooperation and a high level of confidentiality as regard this
transaction. I am representing the board of the contract award
and monitoring committe of the Zambian Ministry of Mining and
Resources.
I am seeking your assistance to enable me transfer the sum of
US$30,500,000.00 (Thirty Million, Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars) into your private/company account. The fund
came about as a result of a contract awarded and executed for
and on behalf of my Ministry.

The contract was supposed to be awarded to two foreign contractors to the tune of US$180,000,000.00
(One hundred and eighty million United States Dollars) but in the course of negotiation, the contract was
awarded to a Bulgarian contractor at the cost of
US$149,500,000.00 (One hundred and Forty-nine Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)
to my benefit unknown to the contractor.

This contract has been satisfactorily executed and inspected
as the Bulgarian firm is presently securing payment from my
Ministry, where our Board is in-charge of all foreign contract
payment approval. As a civil servant still in active government service, I am forbidden by law to operate
an account outside the shores of Zambia. Hence this message to you seeking your assistance so as to
enable me present your private/company account d
etails as a beneficiary of contractual claims alongside that of the Bulgarian contractor, to enable me
transfer the difference of US$30,500,000.00(thirty Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States
Dollars)into your provided account.
On actualisation, the fund will be disbursed as stated below;

1. 20% of the fund will be for you as beneficiary

2. 80% of the fund will be for Us.

All logistics are in place and all modalities worked out for a> smooth actualisation of the transaction within
the next few
working days of commencement.

For further details as to the work ability of this
transaction, please reach me as soon as possible on my private
email:makwe@zwallet.com

Thank you and God bless as I await your urgent response.
Yours Sincerely,
MR MASON MAKWE

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