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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: "Jane Hughson" <omegalottowinners2005@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 01 Nov 2005 21:53:02 +0000
Subject: CONGRATULATION YOU HAVE WON A PRICE

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT WE HAVE JUST CONCLUDED A RANDOM EMAIL LOTTERY
HELD WORLDWIDE AND THAT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS ATTACHED TO TICKET NUMBER:
JKQ6432331922/021/301 IN THE FIRST CATEGORY HAS WON YOU A PRIZE.

YOU HAVE THEREFORE BEEN APPROVED TO CLAIM A TOTAL SUM OF US$5.500,000.00
(FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) BEING YOUR LUCKY
WIN THROUGH THE RANDOM SELECTION OF YOUR INTERNET EMAIL ADDRESS. CLAIM IS
EASY UPON PROPER IDENTIFICATION AND ADHERENCE TO GUIDELINES.

EMAIL ADDRESSES WERE SELECTED RANDOMLY FROM WORLD WIDE WEB SITES THROUGH
COMPUTER DRAW SYSTEM AND EXTRACTED FROM OVER 100,000 COMPANIES AND 500,000
INDIVIDUAL EMAIL ADDRESSES. THIS PROMOTION IS A NEW ANNUAL EVENT ORGANIZED
BY MAJOR COMPUTER AND INTERNET COMPANIES IN APPRECIATION OF THE HUGE PROFIT
THE INDUSTRY HAS GENERATED WITHIN ITS SHORT LIFE.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR LUCKY WINNING NUMBER FALLS WITHIN OUR EUROPEAN PAYMENT
ZONE AS ZONED BY COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN OF BENEFICIARIES COUPON. IN VIEW OF
THIS, YOUR U.S$5,500,000.00 (FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATES DOLLARS) WOULD BE RELEASED TO YOU BY OUR PAYMENT OFFICE IN U.K. FOR
CLAIMS, PLEASE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY OUR EUROPEAN PAYMENT OFFICER IN THE NAME
OF MR. DONALD BENSON ON EMAIL ADDRESS: donald_benson@myway.com

YOU ARE TO INCLUDE IN YOUR MAIL TO HIM YOUR FULL CONTACT DETAILS, WHICH
SHOULD INCLUDE;

1. YOUR FULL NAME

2. YOUR CURRENT RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

3. YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBER

4. MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU MUST QUOTE YOUR WINNING NUMBER AS STATED IN THIS
MAIL.

5. AGE/SEX

6. REPLY TO MR. DONALD BENSON ON EMAIL ADDRESS: donald_benson@myway.com


MR. DONALD BENSON WILL GUIDE YOU ON HOW TO ACCESS YOUR WINNING FROM OUR
WEBSITE BY PROVIDING YOU WITH THE WINNING DETAILS AS WELL AS NUMBERS FOR
ONWARD REMITTANCE OF THE STIPULATED AMOUNT. WINNING DETAILS ARE WITHHELD TO
AVOID DOUBLE CLAIMS AND WILL BE PROVIDED TO YOU UPON ESTABLISHING CONTACT
WITH HIM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO KEEP THIS INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL YOU
HAVE ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH THE PAYMENT OFFICER TO AVOID DOUBLE CLAIMS.

PLEASE ACCEPT OUR CONGRATULATIONS.

YOURS SINCERELY,

JANE HUGHSON, MRS

UK. EMAIL LOTTO COORDINATOR.
PLEASE REPLY TO MR. DONALD BENSON ON EMAIL ADDRESS: donald_benson@myway.com


Anti-fraud resources: