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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: jerry smith <jerrysmith_jerrysmith05@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 06:47:45 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: business proposal


ATT: THE MANAGER
MR, JERRY SMITH
JOHANNESBURG
SOUTH AFRICA
TEL:+27761614727
E-MAIL : jerrysmith@dbzmail.com
DATE:23-06-2005
DEAR SIR/MADAM,
GOOD DAY, MY NAME IS JERRY SMITH THE ELDER SON
OF MR.DENNIS SMITH OF ZIMBABWE.
YOUR CONTACT WAS THROUGH YOUR COUNTRIES BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
AS LED BY MY INSTINCT,I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU THROUGH
E-MAIL,AS IT IS THE ONLY MEANS I CAN CONTACT ANYBODY FOR NOW.
I APOLOGIZE IF THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE BY YOU.

DURING THE WAR AGAINST THE FARMERS IN ZIMBABWE
FROM THE SUPPORTERS OF OUR PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE TO
CLAIM ALL THE WHITE OWNED FARMS IN OUR COUNTRY, SO HE
ORDERED ALL THE WHITE FARMERS TO SURRENDER ALL THEIR
FARM LAND TO HIS PARTY MEMBERS FOR REDISTRIBUTION TO
HIS FOLLOWERS (WAR VETERANS). AND MY FATHER IS ONE OF
THE BEST BLACK FARMERS IN OUR COUNTRY BECAUSE HE DID
NOT SUPPORT HIS IDEA AND HIS SUPPORTERS INVADED MY
FATHERS FARM AND BURNT EVERYTHING IN THE FARM AND
KILLED MY FATHER, AND MADE AWAY WITH A LOT OF ITEMS IN MY
FATHERS FARM.
AFTER THE DEATH OF MY FATHER, ME, MY MOTHER AND MY
YOUNGER SISTER DECIDED TO MOVE OUT OF ZIMBABWE, BECAUSE
OUR LIVES ARE STILL IN DANGER WITH THE MONEY MY FATHER
KEPT IN HIS HIDDEN SAFE IN MY MOTHERS HOUSE. THE AMOUNT
CONTAINED IN THE SAFE IS US$5 MILLION ( FIVE
MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) AND WE DECIDED TO MOVE
THE MONEY TO REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA WHERE WE
DEPOSITED THE MONEY IN A SECURITY COMPANY AS A VALUABLE
ITEM.
PRESENTLY WE ARE LIVING IN SOUTH AFRICA AS ASYLUM
SEEKERS AND THE FINANCIAL LAW OF SOUTH AFRICA DOES NOT
ALLOW A REFUGE A BANKING RIGHT. IN VIEW OF THIS CONTACT
WITH YOU BECAME INDISPENSABLE MOREOVER COUPLED WITH THE
WAY THE MONEY WAS ACQUIRED, WE DECIDED NOT TO INVEST
THE MONEY ANYWHERE IN AFRICA AS IT WILL IMPLICATE US
AND JEOPARDISE OUR STAY HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA. THAT IS
THE MAIN REASON WE WANT YOU TO ASSIST US TO TRANSFER
THIS MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR DISBURSEMENT AND
INVESTMENT IN YOUR COUNTRY.
I AM PREPARED TO GIVE 15% OF THE TOTAL SUM FOR YOUR
ASSISTANCE. AS YOU MAY UNDERSTAND OUR ENTIRE LIVES AND
FUTURE DEPENDS ON THIS MONEY.
THE MAJOR THING WE ASK OF YOU IS COMPLETE ASSURANCE
THAT THE MONEY WILL BE SAFE WHEN TRANSFERRED TO YOUR
ACCOUNT.
WE ARE LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR RESPONSE.
ALL E-MAIL CONTACTS SHOULD BE THROUGH.
jerrysmith@dbzmail.com
OR CALL
YOURS TRUELY.
MR,JERRY SMITH

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