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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: "ugobueze williams" <williams222@digitalslant.com>
Reply-To: williams222@freenet.de
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 17:28:07 -0600
Subject: letter

FROM THE DESK OF:
Mr. Williams Ugobueze

Dear Sir,

I am Mr Williams Ugobueze, Bank Manager of a Bank
(name upheld) I have an urgent and very confidential
business proposition for you.

In 1996 - 1997, an Oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation, Engr. Nam Hyewon made a numbered time (Fixed)
Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued atS$25,000,000.00
(Twenty-five Million Dollars) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a
routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After
a
month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract
employers, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that Engr. Nam
Hyewon died in Korean Air Flight 801, which crashed in Guam on August
1997. On further investigation, I found out that he died without
making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.
I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Engr. Nam
Hyewon did not declare any next of kin or relations in all her official
documents, including her Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of
US$25,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being
rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will
ever come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian Law, at the
expiration of 6 (six) years, the money will revert to the ownership of
the Nigerian Government if nobody applies to claim this fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to
stand in as the next of kin to Engr. Nam Hyewon so that the fruits of
this His labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt
government officials. This is simple, I will like you to provide
immediately your full names and address so that the Attorney will
prepare the necessary documents and affidavits which will! put you in
place as the next of kin. We shall employ the services of two
Attorneys
for drafting and notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary
documents and letter of probate/administration in your favor for the
transfer.

I would need you as a Foreigner acting as the next of kin and sole
benefactor to the inheritance of Engr. Nam Hyewon to claim from the
bank. The money will be transferred to you for us to share in the ratio
of 60% for me and 40% for you. There is no risk at all as all the
paperwork for this transaction will be done by the Attorney and my
position as the Branch Manager guarantees the successful execution of
this transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately via
the private email address below.Upon your response, I shall then
provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you
understand the
transaction.

Please observe utmost confidentiality, and! rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall
require your assistance to invest my share in your country.


Thanks and regards.

Mr. Williams Ugobueze


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