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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "DR. MICHAEL SCOTT" <michael_scott@box.az>
Date: Mon, 08 Aug 2005 18:43:06 -1200
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION

GREETINGS,

MY NAME IS DR. MICHAEL SCOTT, PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE
DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT EQUITORIAL
TRUST BANK.

I AM WRITING IN RESPECT OF A FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY BANK (MR
WILLIAM BARNES, OF AMERICA) WHO PERISHED IN THE PLANE CRASH
OF 31 OCTOBER 1999 [WITH EGYPTIAN AIRLINE 990] WITH OTHER
PASSENGERS ABOARD AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE WEBSITE BELOW
:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/world/americas/502503.stm

SINCE THE DEMISE OF MR WILLIAM BARNES, I PERSONALLY HAVE
WATCHED WITH KEEN INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL
HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO ONE HAS COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF
USD30M, [THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS] WHICH HAS
BEEN WITH OUR BANK HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOSE NAME SHALL BE USED
AS THE NEXT OF KIN, AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO PUT CLAIM AS
THE NEXT OF KIN TO THIS FUNDS AND THE BANKING ETHICS HERE
DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY MORE THAN SIX YEARS,
BECAUSE AFTER SIX YEARS THE MONEY WILL BE CALLED BACK TO THE
BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL.

IN VIEW OF THIS I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S
FOREIGN TRADE MISSION AFTER I WAS CONVINCED IN MY MIND THAT
YOU COULD BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THIS CLAIM. THE
REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS
IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER
AND A NIGERIAN CANNOT STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO A
FOREIGNER.

I AGREE THAT 30% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGN
PARTNER IN RESPECT OF PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT WHILE 10% WILL
TAKE CARE OF ANY EXPENSES THAT MIGHT BE INCURRED IN THE
PROCESS OF SUCCEEDING THE TRANSFER AND THE REST WILL BE FOR
ME. THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT AS
I AM ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT.

UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR ACCEPTANCE, I WILL SEND YOU BY FAX
OR E-MAIL A DRAFT APPLICATION OF CLAIM WHICH YOU WILL SEND
TO THE BANK AS THE NEXT OF KIN AND THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS BUSINESS
IS HITCH FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS
THE WHOLE REQUIRED ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN PERFECTED FOR THE
TRANSFER.

PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS:
michael_scott@box.az
REMEMBER THIS SHOULD BE VERY CONFIDENTIAL DUE TO THE FACT
THAT I AM STILL WORKING WITH THE BANK.

HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST

REGARDS,
DR. MICHAEL SCOTT
PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL: michael_scott@box.az


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