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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: "john nkosi" <johnnkosi1@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 22:54:31 +0200
Subject: FROM JOHN NKOSI

FROM JOHN NKOSI
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
E-MAIL: johnnkosi123@aim.com
TLE/FAX:27-11-507-5670

ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO

Dear Sir/Madam,
PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

I am John Nkosi (FCAA), the chief accountant of African Development
Bank (ADB).
There is an account opened in this bank in 1999 and since 2001
nobody has
operated this online account. After going through some old files in the
records, I
discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently it would be
forfeited for
nothing. The owner of this account is Mr. Smith B. Zafer , a foreigner,
and a miner
at Kruger Gold Company. He Was a Geologist by profession and he died
since
2000. No
other person knows about this account or anything concerning it, the
account has no
other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that this
Company does
not know anything about this account and the money involved is Fifteen
Million
United States Dollars (US$ 15 Million). You are the only person that I
have
contacted in this Business; so Please reply urgently so that I will
inform you the
next step to take immediately. Send also your telephone and fax .

Meanwhile, I am contacting you because of the need to involve a
foreigner
with a
foreign account as a beneficiary. I need your full co-operation to make
this work
fine because the management is ready to approve this payment to any
foreigner who
has correct information of this account, which I will give to you as
soon
as you
indicate your sincerity to co-operate with me, and capability to handle
such amount
in strict confidence and trust, according to my instruction and advice,
for our
mutual benefit because this opportunity may never come again in my
life. I
need a
truthful and God fearing person in this Business because I don’t want
to
make a
mistake so I need your strong assurance and trust. With my position in
the
office I
don’t want anything that will jeopardize my job so I advice that we
should
make
secrecy and confidentiality our primary working condition, bearing in
mind
that I am
a public servant. I will also use my position and influence to effect
legal
approvals and onward transfer of this money to your account with
appropriate
clearance forms from the ministries and foreign exchange department. I
will
compensate you adequately depending on the terms we shall agree on
subsequently.
Reply to: johnnkosi123@aim.com
I look forward to your earliest reply.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. John Nkosi

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam