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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 Nkosi" <tonynkosi1@sify.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 2005 08:59:19 -0400
Subject: CAN YOU DO THIS?


Dear Friend,

I am TONY NKOSI, the first son of late chief JOSEPH NKOSI, from mende district in Sierra Leone.I got your Contact through the world online\internet network.My source of your contact gave me the courage and Confidence to contact you about this very delicate matter.

I am writing you in absolute confidence primarily to Seek your assistance to transfer our cash of twenty One million eight hundred thousand dollars ($21,800,000) now in The custody of a security and trust company to your private account pending our arrival to Your country.

SOURCE OF THE MONEY:

My late father, Chief JOSEPH NKOSI, a native of mende district in the Northern province of Sierra Leone, was the general Manager of The National Mining Co-operation (N.M.C.) Freetown. According to my father.

This money was the income accrued from mining Co-operations over draft and minor sales. Before the peak of the civil war between the rebels forces of major Paul Koroma and the combined forces of ECOMOG peace keeping operation that almost destroyed my country, following the forceful removal from power of the Civilian Elected President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah by the rebels.

My father had already made arrangement for his family (my mother, my younger sister and myself) to be evacuated to a neighbouring West African country, with our personal effects and the box containing the money.My father deposited the box in a private Security Company for the safe custody until after the war when he will join us.

During the war in my country, and following the indiscriminate looting of public and Government properties by the rebel forces, the mining coop. Was one of the targets looted and destroyed.

My father including other top Government functionaries Were attacked and killed by the rebels because of his relationship with the civilian Government of Ahmed Tejan Kabbah.As a result of my father death, and with the news of my uncles involvement in an air crash in January our hope of survival was completely dashed.

The untimely deaths caused my mother heart failure and other related complications of which she has been suffering fom all these years.She died in the hospital just last month after we have spent a lot of money on her.

Now my younger sister and myself(I am 26 and she is 18) are alone in this strange country suffering without any care or help.Without any relatives, we are now like refugees and orphans. Our only hope now is in you and the box deposited in the security company.We can?t go back to Sierra Leone even after peace have been restored because We don?t know what will happen to us as its the murderers that are now in power.

To this effect, I humbly solicit your assistance in the following ways.

To assist me claim this box from the security company as a foreign partner/beneficiary.

To transfer this money in your name to your country.

To make a good arrangement for a joint business Investment on our behalf in your country and you,the caretaker.

To secure a college for my younger sister and myself in your country to further our education.

And to make arrangement for our travel with you to Your country after you have transferred this fund.

Most importantly, the security company officials do not know the exact content of the box because it was declared Documents,photographic papers and valuables belonging to a foreign partner. The whole documents issued to my late father after deposit are all in my custody.

Please I am waiting for your urgent response on this matter as its then I'll let you know me and my sister's location and the contact details of the security company here.

Expecting to hear from you

Thanks and God bless you
Best regards
TONY NKOSI (for the family).


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