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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: "JOSEPH ADAMA" <joseph_2005@box.az> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 22:21:27 +0200
Subject: urgent and confidential investment

DEAR SIR,

FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS
TRANSACTIONAND I PRAY THAT MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN
GENUINE APPROVAL,I RECIEVED ENCOURAGING INFORMATION ABOUT YOU AND
HOW TRUST WORTHY YOU, I AM DELIGHTED WITH SUCH A USEFUL INFORMATION.I
WISH TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU.I AM (MR. JOSEPH ADAMA)
FROM LIBERIA, WEST FRICA. I WRITE TO INFORM YOU MY DESIRE TO SOLICIT FOR YOUR HELP. I AM
THE FIRST SON OF MR. WEAH ADAMA, MY FATHER WAS A DIAMOND/GOLD MERCHANT IN MY
COUNTRY.MY FATHER HAD A BULLET SHOT BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING OUT OF MY
COUNTRY WITH TWO OF MY YOUNGER SISTER'S DUE TO PRESENT CRISIS THAT IS
GOING IN OUR COUNTRY (LIBERIA). MY SISTER'S DIED ON THE SPOT WHILE
U.N.PEACE KEEPING FORCE RESCUED MY FATHER,HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL
FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED. BEFORE HE DIED HE REAVEALED
TO ME ABOUT THE MONEY$12.5 MILLION, (TWELVE MILLION AND FIVE HUNDERED
THOUSAND US DOLLARS). WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPNAY FOR
SAFE KEEPING. PRESENTLY I AM IN AUSTRIA STAYING IN THE REFUGEE CAMP WITH
MY MOTHER. THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST
THIS MONEY, BECAUSE MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS
MONEY IN AFRICA DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES,ALSO NOTE:AS I AND MY MOTHER ARE REFUGEES
SEEKING FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM IN AUSTRIA,WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE SUCH AMOUNT OF MONEY AS WE DON,T HAVE THE RESIDENCE TO STAY IN AUSTRIA. THAT IS WHY I WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD. FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE,I HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 25% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE MONEY.NOTE:I HAVE NEVER DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY PERSON APART FROM YOU,SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION CONFEDENTIAL,WHICH I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR DICISION FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION THROUGH MY EMAILI AM WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT AND POSITIVE FEEDBACK.

BEST REGARDS
JOSEPH ADAMA



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