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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: "williams mark" <williams_mark22@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 04 Aug 2005 12:03:02 +0200
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL & URGENT.

From Dr.Williams Mark,
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 27 73 983 4248

Attn: President / CEO,

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL & URGENT.

Before I go further I will like to introduce myself, I am Dr.Williams Mark,
a native of Cape Town in South Africa and I am an Executive Accountant with
the South Africa Department of Minerals $
Mining.

First and foremost, I apologized using this medium to reach you the other
time for a
transaction/business of this magnitude, but this is due to Confidentiality
and prompt access reposed on this medium. I have decided to seek a
confidential co-operation with you in the execution of the deal described
Hereunder for the benefit of all parties and hope you will keep it as a top
secret because of the nature of this transaction.

Within the Department of Minerals & Mining where I work as an Executive
Accountant, I have in my possession as overdue payment bills totaling
Fifteen Million U. S. Dollars ($15,000,000.00)
which I want to transfer abroad with the assistance and cooperation of a
foreign company/individual to receive the said fund on my behalf or a
reliable foreign non-company account to receive such
funds. More so, I am handicapped in the circumstances; as the South Africa
Civil Service Code of Conduct does not allow us to operate offshore account
hence your importance in the whole transaction.

This amount US$15Million represents the balance of the total contract value
executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign contracting firm, which we
the officials over-invoiced deliberately.
Though the actual contract cost have been paid to the original contractor,
leaving the balance in the tune of the said amount. I have the authority to
propose that should you be willing to assist
me in the transaction, your share of the sum will be 35% of the US$15
million,60% for me and 5% for taxation and miscellaneous expenses. The
business itself is 100% safe and risk free, on your
part provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality. Also
your area of specialization is not a hindrance to the successful execution
of this transaction. I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you
will not disappoint me.

Endeavor to contact me immediately through my above Telephone or my e-mail
address, whether or not you are interested in this deal. If you are not, it
will enable me scout for another foreign partner to carry out this deal I
want to assure you that I am in position to make the payment of this claim
possible provided you can give me a very strong assurance and guarantee that
my share will be secured and please remember to treat this matter as very
confidential matter, because we will not comprehend with any form of
exposure as am still in active Government Service and remember once again
that time is of the essence in this business.

I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

Dr.Williams Mark


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