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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: "TONY AUSTINE" <tonyaustinee@unionbankworld.org>
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 19:15:34 -0600
Subject: FOREIGN BUSINESS PARTNER WANTED

REQUEST FOR A BUSINESS PARTNER

Dear Sir,
I sincerely write to seek your co-operation and trust to enable my
colleagues and I carry out an urgent business opportunity in my department.
I work with the Union Bank of Nigeria PLC; currently I am the senior manager
of bills and exchange at the foreign remittance department of my bank. I was
the account officer to one Mr. Ali B. Ashraf who died along with his family
on the 8th of November 1996 in an ADC Boeing 727 plane crash at Egirin
River. All 141 passengers on board were feared dead.

He left in his domiciliary account the total sum of $15.5million Fifteen
million five hundred thousand USA Dollars. Since the management got the
information of his death we have been expecting any of his relation or his
next of kin to come up and claim his money. Unfortunately from the day of
his death till the time of this letter none of his relation or friends has
come up for the claim. The banking and financial law of Union bank of
Nigeria Plc stipulates that if such fund remained unclaimed after a period
of four (4) it will be transferred into the bank treasury as unclaimed bill.
On this discovery sir, I and two other senior staffs now decided do business
with you and release the money to you as the next of kin to Ali B. Ashraf
for safety and subsequent disbursement.

I will soon proceed for my retirement leave this year, and I personally do
not want this fund to be transferred into the bank treasury as unclaimed
bill. That is why I wanted the fund to be move out of the bank before I
proceed on my retirement from the banking services by October 15th 2001.

The need for a foreigner as next of kin in this project is occasioned by the
fact that the customer Mr. Ali Ashraf was a foreigner and a Nigerian cannot
stand as his next of kin or heir. We have agreed that 20% of the Fund
wouldbe for you as foreign partner; thereafter my colleague and I will visit
your country for disbursement according to the percentages indicated.

To enable the immediate transfer of the fund into your nominated account,
you will first apply to the bank as the next of kin of the deceased,
indicating your bank account number and location wherein the money will be
remitted. Upon receipt of your acknowledgement indicating your interest, I
will send to you the text of the application that you will send to the Union
Bank authority for an approval to submit your claims. Send your reply
through my direct and private email address indicates your direct Fax and
telephone numbers for effective communication that this transaction needs.
Please note that you are not to appear in person, as every thing regarding
this project will be strictly on documentations and every banking documents
needed for this transaction will be taken care of by my self.
Looking forward to urgently hearing from you.
Yours Faithfully
TONT AUSTINE.


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