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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: "smith morgan" <smith_900@accountancyfirm.net>
Reply-To: smith2005@indiatimes.com
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 08:57:24 +0000
Subject: NEED FOR INFORMATION

Dear Friend,

Pardon me for the mode that I have chosen to contact you,
inappropriate maybe,but prompted by utmost need and
urgency.Be informed that this is a sensitive proposition
for assistance that must be kept between the two of us in
confidence. Express your acceptance of this term when you
respond.

I am Morgan Smith the personal accounting officer to Late
Mr. John Schelpert , a foreign business man who is formerly
residing in the federal Republic of benin.
He died in the Iran Air subsidiary Iran Air Tours that
killed 199 aboard on February 12, 2003, a Russian-made
Tupolev Tu-154 passenger jet, owned by Iran Air subsidiary
Iran Air Tours,crashed after aking off from Tehran en route to
Khorramabad.For details :
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/19/iran.crash/
However,he did not leave a Beneficiary to be reached in such
event and his bank account has been under the dormant status
for more than fifteen months now without any claim for the fund
in the custody of the bank and i have received notice as
his accounting officer to provide his next of kin to claim
the funds valued at 4.5Million Pounds.

The plan is for you to put claim over this fund as the bona
fide Beneficiary and signatury to the deceased, getting the
required approval and transferring this money to your
account has been put in place by myself .Directives and
needed information will be given as soon as you indicate
your desire to assist us. It will be worth noting that, as
far as you have an insiders like me to work with in this
very scheme, this is 100% risk free.
On conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to
40%of he total sum,being your reward for your valued
assistance, the remaining 60% will be for myself. I will be
mornitoring the whole situation here the Republic of benin
until you confirm the money in your account, then i will
come to your country for my share . If you can do your
part, take your share and keep it cofidential then, respond
immediately, sending me your full name, postal address and
contact phone number, failure to send these details
requested herein when you respond, will indicate your
unwillingness to assist in this regard,and will meet with my
silence.

Private e-mail: sm900@indiatimes.com

Yours faithfully,

Mr.Morgan Smith
Federate De' Benin'el

This is not a joke e-mail, this is regarding to life
benefit.
Please do take this message seriously. Thank you


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