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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: Darlington Green <dar_green1975@yahoo.ca>
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 14:28:06 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Please Assist



Dear Friend,

It is my humble pleasure to write this letter irrespective of the fact that you do not know me. However, I came to know of you in my private search for a reliable and trustworthy person that can handle a confidential transaction of this nature in respect to our investment plans in real estate. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day.

Let me start by first introducing myself properly to you. I am MR.Darlington Green a Branch Manager at one of the Union Bank Nigeria Plc, Lagos.

A foreigner, from your country and a Civil Engineer/Oil Merchant with the Federal Government of Nigeria, until his death three years ago in a ghastly air crash, banked with us here at the Union Bank PLC, Lagos. He had a closing balance of USD$5M ( Five Million United States Dollars) which the bank now unquestionably expects to be claimed by any of his available foreign next of kin. Or, alternatively be donated to a discredited trust fund for arms and ammunition at a military war college here in Nigeria.

Fervent valuable efforts made by the Union Bank to get in touch with any of late customer's next of kin (he had no known wife and children) has been unsuccessful. The management under the influence of our chairman and board of directors, are making arrangement for the fund to be declared "UNCLAIMABLE " and then be subsequently donated to the trust fund for Arms and Ammunition which will further enhance the course of war in Africa and the world in general.

In order to avert this negative development. Myself and some of my trusted colleagues in the bank, now seek for your permission to have you stand as our late customer's next of kin, So that the fund (USD$5M), would be subsequently transferred and paid into your bank account as the beneficiary next of kin through our overseas corresponding bank.

All documents and proves to enable you get this fund have been carefully worked out and we are assuring you a 100% risk free involvement. Your share would be 20% of the total amount. While the rest would be for me and my colleagues for purchase of properties in your country through you or your Company.

If this proposal is OK by you, then kindly get to me immediately via my e-mail furnishing me with your most confidential telephone, fax and e-mail, so I can forward to you the relevant details of this transaction.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation.

Best Regards

Darlington Green



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