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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: "michael scott" <scott@michaelscottway.org>
Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 03:40:05 +0000
Subject: I NEED ABSOLUTE TRUST FROM YOU

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: michaelscott60@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: michaelscott60@box.az


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