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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: "DR TONY THOMPSON" <drthom@mail2banker.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2005 03:42:46 +0400
Subject: VERY URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL PROPOSAL

DEAR FRIEND,

PERMIT ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. MY NAME IS DR.TONY THOMPSON,THE
REGIONAL MANAGER OF BARCLAYS BANK OF GHANA.I GOT YOUR CONTACT FROM AN
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CONSULTANT.THIS PROPOSAL IS COMING TO YOU IN GOOD FAITH. I AM A FORTY FIVE (45) YEARS OLD, MARRIED WITH TWO LOVELY KIDS, A DEVOTED CHRISTIAN AND A MAN OF PEACE.

I HAVE PACKAGED A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND I
AND THIS IS A RISK FREE TRANSACTION. WITH MY POSITION IN THE BANK AND JOB
OBLIGATIONS I DISCOVERED A CERTAIN SURPLUS WHICH HAVE BEEN THERE FOR
YEARS AND WILL REMAIN THERE EVEN TILL THE END OF TIME.IT IS MY DUTY TO
SEND IN A FINANCIAL REPORT OF OUR BRANCHES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I
DISCOVERED THAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE NINTEEN MILLION,
SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$19,680,000.00)
WHICH MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF. I
HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW CALL ACCOUNT WITH NO
BENEFICIARY.

AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS
MONEY, SO MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN
YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND GET 20% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AS COMMISSION. THERE ARE
PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED, IT WILL BE A BANK TO BANK TRANSFER.ALL I
NEED FROM YOU IS ABSOLUTE SINCERITY,TRANSPERANCY AND YOUR EXERCISING
OF STRICTEST OF CONFIDENCE.I WILL PRESENT YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY TO
THE DEPOSIT AND BACK IT WITH ALL THE NECESSARY PAPERS AND THE HEAD
OFFICE WILL ORDER THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND INTO YOUR STATED ACCOUNT.

IF YOU ACCEPT TO WORK WITH ME I WILL APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. MY PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER IS +88 216 211 996 22. CALL ME IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE DETAILS.
I WILL ALSO LIKE YOU TO CONFIRM TO ME THAT YOU HAVE ACCEPTED THE RATIO
GIVEN TO YOU AS I KNOW THAT IT IS GENEROUS ENOUGH.
THANKS YOU IN ADVANCE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU.

SINCERELY YOURS,
DR.TONY THOMPSON.


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