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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: "proffesor alimamman" <profalimamman01@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: ugo_z_chris@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 14:56:36 +0000
Subject: Your Honest Co-operation!!!

From the disk of:
Mr. Chris Ugo
Union Bank Nigeria Plc
Lagos- Nigeria.
ATTN:Sir,

I am Mr. Chris Ugo the Account Officer to Mr.Morris Thompson a national
of your country, who used to work with CADBURY NIGERIA LIMITED, who
unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight
261 which crashed on 4th febuary 2000, including his wife and only
daughter. You shall read more about the crash on visiting this
site.
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/ and
http://www.nativefederation.org/history/people/mThompson.html

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property
left behind by my client Mr.Morris Thompson, before they Get confiscated
or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were
lodged, particularly the Union Bank Nigeria Plc where the deceased had an
account valued at about ($19.7 million us dollars) has Issued me a
notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the
next ten official working days as the account officer to the account.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives of late Mr.
Morris Thompson for over 3 years now I seek your consent to present you
as the next of kin of the deceased Mr.Morris Thompson. so that the
proceeds of this account valued at ($19.7 million u s dollars) can be paid
to you and then you and me Can shaer the money. 60% to me and 35% to you
and the balance 5% will be for the expenses we may incure during this
transaction. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see
this deal through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
 
Best regards,
Mr. Chris Ugo

 

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