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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: "FROM: MR. FARIO MUSA" <fariomusa@mail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: fariomusa@zwallet.com
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 01:04:02 +0000
Subject: VERY URGENT

VERY CONFIDENTIAL
FROM: MR. FARIO MUSA
DEAR FRIEND
I AM THE MANAGER OF BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE ECOBANK MOROCCO PLC. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR SUPPORT AND CO-OPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT. WE DISCOVER AN ABANDONED SUM OF US$25,000,000.00 (TWENTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN NOVEMBER 2002 IN A PLANE CRASH. SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE MONEY UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THE FAMILY MEMBER NOR TH>E RELATION HAS APPEARED TO CLAIM THIS MONEY, AT THIS DISCOVERY, I AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN THE DEPARTMENT NOW DECIDED TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU AND RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION OF THE DECEASE FOR SAFETY AND

SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT >SI NCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS AN UNCLAIMED DEBT.. THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINES OF ECOBANK MORROCO PLC STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED UNCLAIMED FOR A PERIOD OF THREE (3) YEARS IT WILL> BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND. THE NEED FOR A FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASSIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A MORROCONIA CANNOT STAND AS HIS NEXT OF KIN OR HEIR. WE AGREED THAT 15% OF THE M o nEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, THERE AFTER MY COLLEAGUE AND I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGE INDICATED. THEREFORE, TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THE FUND TO YOU AS INDICATED. YOU MUST APPLY TO THE BANK AS A RELATION OR NEXT OF KIN OF THE DECEASED, INDICATING YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER AND LOCATION WHEREIN THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED. UPON RECEIPT OF REPLY BY MAIL, I WILL SEND TO YOU BY MAIL TH E

TEXT OF APPLICATION. AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS> LETTER YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AND INDICATE YOUR DIRECT FAX AND CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY ON MY
E-MAIL: fariomusa@latinmail.com

YOURS FAITHFULLY
MR. MR. FARIO MUSA







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