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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "MICHAEL ONAH" <michaelona@z6.com> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 20:22:15 +0400
Subject: would it interest you?

My Dear,

Good day to you and your household.I wish to write briefly to seek for your assistance.
I am Michael Onah.I am a son to Mr.Gabriel Onah Uwaise.My father was among the victims of the local plane clash which claimed all the people on board the same day the first lady of Nigeria Government (wife of the president) died in Spain.

Straight to my proposal to you.My family have just concluded the burial right to my late father.I therefore have made contacts about his bank accounts and deposits.I have among others discovered that he made a deposit to a security company named Overseas Diplomatic Finance Services of an amount in foreign currency of EURO 12,000,000 : 00 only (Twelve Million EUROS). He made the deposit in disguise as a fund for the purchase of machinery with my name as the next of kin as the first son.

I have also contacted the security company and was informed that the fund can only be released to a foreigner who would take responsibility as a foreign beneficiary so that the money could be transferred into his account for its purpose.

I made a contact with his lawyer too who told me that I should be careful in nominating anyone but that he has the knowledge of the deposit as all the legal documents of the deposit are under his care in his files.He assured me that he will release the documents as soon as we are ready to process the transfer of the fund.

I then seek if you could render the assistance to me.I will offer you a 20% out of the fund for your assistance and maybe about 10% for any expenses which might come our way.

Please it requires an urgent move before the government notices the money or even my step mother or half brother discovers it.Contact me in my private mailbox (michaelonah@codehot.co.uk) so that we can talk confidentially.

I will be hoping to hear from you very soon.

Thanks and may God bless you as you respond.

Michael Onah.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam