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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: "BARR DUNCAN WILLIAMS" <duncans@hotletter.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: duncan_williams@fastermail.com
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 06:43:36 +0000
Subject: MR DUNCAN

BARR DUNCAN WILLIAMS AND CO.
FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER DUNCAN WILLIAMS
Reply only to:(Duncan_williams@fastermail.com)

I am Barrister Duncan Williams, a solicitor at law. I am the
personal attorney to Mr. Andorfer Hermann, a national of your country, who used
to work with Shell Oil Company, in london/Accra Ghana. Here in after
shall be referred to as my client. On the 25th of December 2003,my
client, on the single reason of visiting his inlaws.His wife{A LEBANESE}and
their only daughter were involved in a Plane crash on their way home
for the holidays and were among the 111 people confirmed dead,

www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html,

Since then I have made several inquiries to your embassy here in London
to locate any of my client's extended relatives, this has also proved
unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to
track over the Internet, to locate any member of his family or relative
hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the
fund valued at US$12.7 million Left behind by my client before it get
Confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Finance Firm where this
huge amount was deposited.

The said Finance Company has issued
me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated
in the next six months. I seek your consent to present you as the next
of kin to the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you.

Therefore, upon the receipt of your positive response, we shall then
discuss the percentage that is coming to me after the money is been
credited in your chosen account and the modalities for transfer. All I
require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this
transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
{Please reply to(Duncan_williams@fastermail.com)

PLEASE VIEW THE WEBSITE:
www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html
<http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html>

Regards.
DUNCAN WILLIAMS (ESQ).


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