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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: abacha mohamed <abacha_mohamed11@yahoo.com.au>
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 01:11:02 +1000 (EST)
Subject: PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.



Dear sir,

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.



I got your contact through my private search, I therefore decided to contact you .I am the second son of General Sanni Abacha, the late Military Head of State of Nigeria.

When my father was alive I used to move funds, in cash, running into millions of United States dollars to Brazil, Lebanon and other parts of the world, for safe keeping on behal However, on the eve of my father’s death in June 8, 1998, he gave me the sum of US$40.3(FORTY MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS)in cash to move to Lebanon as usual, but immediately my father died I had to move the fund to EUROPE through a diplomatic courier service to a trust security company in EUROPE.

The funds have been in the security company in EUROPE since July 1998.However, because of the many restrictions placed on my family by the present Nigerian Government, I simply cannot travel to EUROPE to secure the funds from the security company in EUROPE.

What I now need from you are as follows:-

1.You should travel to EUROPE to secure the funds in cash on my behalf and deposit it in your bank account in your Country.

2.You will be entitled to 30% of the total sum involved for your assistance.

3.As soon as you confirm to me by my above e-mail address your readiness to travel to EUROPE, I will send a copy of my Power of Attorney to the security company in EUROPE authorizing them to release the funds to you.

4.As soon as you have the fund in your custody, I will give you details of where and which sector you will invest my share of the funds into, on my behalf.

5.Please note that this project is 100% risk free, but you must keep it very secret and confidential because of my personal security.

Please contact me immediately through my email

I expect your prompt reply.

Best Regards.

MOHAMMED ABACHA










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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam