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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: "Micheal Mobutu" <theprince4@iamtheprince.com>
Reply-To: theprince@iamtheprince.com
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 01:36:19 +0000
Subject: Your urgence response will be appreciated.....

Kindly accept my apology for sending this unsolicited mail to you which I
hope you will treat as HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL.I believe you are a highly
respected personality, considering the fact that i sourced your profile from
a human resource profile database on your country.I am Prince Michael
Randolph Mobutu Sese Sekou, Son of the late President Mobutu Sese Sekou of
Zaire, new Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).There was war in my country
and so my family members escaped to Morocco or God knows where they are
right now in africa.I have for the past {6} years, been moving from boder to
boder and country to country.Yesterday i managed to find my way into lagos,
a western boarder town of Nigeria where my old friend, now a retired
military officer resides.This Country is too big and there are so many
Nationalities here, I have simply just adjusted quick as usually.Due to my
fathers tarnished image and past crises, It is not safe to put any
investment in my country.Seven troubled years has passed and everything has
supposedly died down. Now I want to set up Viable Business Ventures in your
country.I sincerely have the sum of $29.6 million u.s dollars set aside for
this project but I would not want my name or family's name to be used for
security reasons.I am prepared to offer you 12% (or a re-negotiated sum) of
the total amount received,if you assist me in claiming the funds from the
financial and security vault in london, where i deposited two {2} boxes
containing the funds in my name before my fathers death.I honestly assure
you that this deal is 100% risk-free,So Please contact me if you are
interested and capable of helping by sending your telephone number for me to
reach you because I cannot receive any international call due to my present
condition.I came into this country with only $40 and intend to use this
money to stay in touch with you all the way.If you can convince me of your
honesty and profound interest in this transaction,then i can proceed to
furnish you with the details of this transaction.I need sound assurance that
you are solvent and capable of handling a transaction of this magnitude and
that my share of the money will be safe with you. You can read more about my
father on this web link " www.iamtheprince.com "I look forward to your
prompt reply.

Warm regards,
Prince Michael Randolph Mobutu Sese sekou.


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