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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Nombette Martins" <dr_nombette@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 09:56:09 +0000
Subject: Thanks For Your Consent

Dr.nombette martins
An auditor,
Union Bank For Africa (UBA),
Head Quaters Office,
No 27 Kudirat Abiola Way,Ikeja,
Lagos.Nigeria,

Dear Friend,

My name is Dr Nombette Martins an Auditor in Union Bank For Africa.
 
I write to request for your co-operation with me in
order to redeem an investment interest deposit of
$16m made by one Mr.William Gunn in our bank,an
Australian in 1996 which has now matured for
disbursement since october 2002,but has remained
unclaimed till date.

As a reliable information confirmed that Mr.Gunn
died in a fatal car crash in February 2001.
However,our bank has taken an extensive global
attempt to locate and notify his next of kin who
coincidentally bears the same last name with him.
We have confirmed through three independent search
agencies that there are no direct living relatives
of the deceased in whose favour this money can be
paid.
 
Now being that our bank may be forced to seized the
money by december this year if unclaimed,myself and
two other staff in the Accounts and Records departments
of our bank respectively decided to claim this money
with you and share it instead of forfeiting it to
our bank since you bear desame last name with his Next of Kin
and we have access to the late Mr.William
Gunn file and the required coded information .
all you need to do is to file the
claim with your identity and with the necessary coded
information and then present you as the bonafide next of kin.
This fund will be released to you immediately as we
have put every machinery on ground to ensure a
perfect conclusion as there will be no risk
involved.
 
We have agreed to give you $7mUSD for your
Please do acknowledge receipt of this letter and
your confidentiality of this deal.Please include your
telephone /fax numbers as you reply me urgently,
I got to know that the is coincident with surname of
Late Mr.Gunn by professional engine search.
kindly make receipt of this mail for i want to assure
you that everything will work out perfectly
fine.
Waiting for your urgent response.Thanks,
 
Yours sincerely,
Dr.nombette martins
 

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