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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: "MISS MITCHEL" <mitchel@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mitchel2_kamu@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 18:38:25 +0200
Subject: HELLO

HELLO DEAR,

MY NAME IS MISS MITCHEL K. MOYO, THE ELDEST DAUGHTER OF MR JAMES MOYO.OF ZIMBABWE. IT MIGHT BE A SURPRISE TO YOU WHERE I GOT YUOR CONTACT ADDRESS, BUT I GOT IT FROM THE JOHNNESBURG CHAMBERS OF TRADE AND COMMERCE, PLEASE DON'T BE WORRIED.
DURING THE CURRENT CRISES AGAINST THE ZIMBABWE FARMERS BY THE SURPORTERS OF OUR PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE TO CLAIM ALL THE WHITE OWN FARMS IN OUR COUNTRY, HE ORDERED ALL THE WHITE OWN FARMERS TO SURRENDER THIRE FARMS TO HIS PARTY MEMBERS AND THIER FOLLOWERS. MY FATHER WAS ONE OF THE BEST FARMERS IN THE COUNTRY AND KNOWING THAT HE DID NOT SURPORT THE PRESIDENT IDEOOGY, THE PRESIDENT SURPPORTERS INVADED MY FATHER'S FARM BURNT DOWN EVERY WHERE, KILLED HIM AND CONFISCATED ALL HIS INVESTMENT.
BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER'S ,HE HAD TAKEN ME TO JOHANNESBURG TO DEPOSITED THE SUM OF US$15.5M(FIFTEEN MILLION AND FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) AS IF HE FORE SAW THE LOOMING DANGER IN ZIMBABWE. THE MONEY WAS DEPOSITED IN ONE STRONG METAL BOX AS GEMSTONE TO AVOID MUCH DEMURRAGE FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY, THIS MONEY HE INTENDING TO USE IN PURCHASING NEW MATERIALS FOR THE HOUSE AND ESTABLISHMENT OF INVESTING IN OVERSEAS VENTURE. CURRENTLY, MY FAMILY AND I ARE STAYING IN SOUTH AFRICA AS ASYLUM SEEKER(REFUGEES) BUT OUR PROBLEM IS THAT AS REFUGEES WE DO NOT ENJOY SOME CERTAIN RIGHT, BECUASE THE SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN EXCHANGE POLICY DOES NOT ALLOW ASYLUM SEEKERS TO OWN AN INVESTMENT, NOR TO OPERATE ANY FORM OF BANK ACCOUNT OR TO INVOLVED IN ANY
FINANCIAL TRANSACTION . IT IS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND.

AS THE ELDEST ONE I DECIDED TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA,AND AM SADDLY WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SEEKING A GENUINE ACCOUNT INTO WHICH THIS MONEY COULD BE TRANSFER AS SOMEONE WHOM I AM GOING TO ENTRUST OF MY FUTURE AND THAT MY FAMILY IN HIS HAND, I MUST LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE AS I HAVE ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTS OF THE DEPOSITION OF MY FATHER'S CONSIGNMENT IN THE SECURITY COMPANY, WHICH HE DID ON MY OWN NAME.IF YOU AGREE TO ASSIST ME, I AM READY TO WORK ALL THE RELEVANT DOCUMENTS ON YOUR NAME. I HAVE TO REMIND
YOU THAT I HAVE MAPPED OUT 5% FOR ANY EXPENCESE THAT MAY OCURE DURING THIS RANSATION,AND 25% FOR YOU THEN,70% WILL BE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY AND WILL BE JION AS PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU IN ANY INVESTMENT, DEPEND ON YOUR ADVICE. PLEASE I WILL LIKE YOU TO FURNISH ME WITH YOUR PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX NUMBER WHEN REPLY TO THIS
LETTER AND I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON ASPOSIBLE.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU.
BEST REGARDS .
MISS MITCHEL K. MOYO.
{FOR THE FAMILY}


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