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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: "Barr. Fred Briggs" <fred_briggs5@msn.com>
Reply-To: barrfbriggs@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2005 19:10:58 +0000
Subject: Business Letter.

BARR.FRED BRIGGS.
HEAD OF INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT,
OCEANIC INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC,
OZUMBA MBADIWE AVENUE,
VICTORIA-ISLAND, NIGERIA.
EMAIL:barrfb@ny.com

SUBJECT: BENEFICIARY SUM OF US$16,850,450.68 MILLION.

I AM SEEKING FOR YOUR COOPERATION TO PRESENT YOU TO MY BANK AS THE NEXT OF
KIN TO MR RICHARD PETERSON, A FOREIGN CONTRACTOR WITH NIGERIAN NATIONAL
PETROLEUM COOPERATION NNPC) SO THAT THE SUM OF US$16,850,450.68 MILLION WILL
BE PAID TO YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I AM THE HEAD OF INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT WITH OCEANIC
BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL
PLC, MANDATED ME TO LOOK FOR ANY KNOWN RELATION OF MR RICHARD PETERSON,
SINCE, AFTER HIS DEATH IN NEW ORLEANS HURRICANE KATRINA HOWEVER ALL MY
EFFORTS TRACES ABORTIVE, THAT IS THE MAIN REASON I AM WRITING YOU THIS TO
ASK FOR YOUR COOPEARATION FOR US TO CLAIM THIS MONEY.

I ONLY HAVE TO APPROVE YOU, THIS FUND WILL BE PAID TO YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY
.WE ARE TO SHARE THIS MONEY BETWEEN OURSELVES I AND YOU) IF YOU ARE REALLY
INTERESTED IN THIS OFFER YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME THROUGH THIS EMAIL ADDRESS:
barrfb@ny.com FOR DETAIL OF THIS TRANSACTION AND PRECEDURE.

PLS DO FORWARD ME YOUR FULL NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, YOUR COMPANY NAME
OR OCCUPATION THESE INFO ARE VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS TRANSACTION. NOTE
THAT THIS IS RISK FREE BUSINESS, THIS TRANSACTION WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY
THERE IS INTEREST FROM YOU.

SINCERELY YOURS,

BARR.FRED BRIGGS.


Anti-fraud resources: