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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: "thompson malik" <thompsonmalik33@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: thompsonmalik@myway.com
Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 11:09:02 -0600
Subject: FROM THOMPSON MALIK (AFRICAN PETROLEUM)

DEAR SIR/MADAM,
I GOT YOUR CONTACT DURING MY SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE, HONEST AND A
TRUST-WORTHY PERSON TO ENTRUST THIS HUGE TRANSFER PROJECT WITH.
MY NAME IS THOMPSON MALIK, THE FORMER GENERAL MANAGER OF AFRICAN PETROLEUM
(AP) PLC.I WILL NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSFERING FUNDS
WHICH I WANT TO USE TO ESTABLISH BUSINESS IN YOUR COUNTRY, BUT I NEED YOUR
ASSITANCE IN ORDER TO TRANSFER THIS FUNDS OUT OF AFRICA.I WILL LIKE TO
TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOUR PERSONAL ACCOUNT TO ENABLE ME CLAIM IT WHEN I
COME OVER THERE EASILY.
THE PURPOSE OF TRANSFERING IS THAT I DO NOT WANT MY COLEAGUES TO KWOW THAT I
HAVE SUCH AN AMOUNT OF MONEY IN MY POSSESION THAT WORTH $25 MILLION
(DOLLARS).SO LET US DO THIS BUSINESS AS PARTNERS ,AND YOU WILL GET YOUR OWN
PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.THIS FUND IS THE EXCESS OF WHAT
AFRICAN PETROLEUM (AP) PLC, MADE AS PROFIT THROUGH SUPPLY/GENERAL CONTRACTS
DURING THE YEARS,WHICH I WAS THE GENERAL MANAGER. I HAVE SINCE THEN,
DEPOSITED THIS AMOUNT $25 MILLION (DOLLARS) WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.
I DO NEED TO STRESS THAT THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED IN THIS.IF
YOU CAN OR YOU ARE WILLING TO HELP ME OUT THEN INDICATE YOUR INTEREST IT'S
GOING TO BE HANDLED WITH UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY. YOUR BUSINESS STATUS DOES
NOT MATTER IN THIS TRANSACTION, WHAT MATTERS IS YOUR ABILITY TO HANDLE THE
AMOUNT OF THIS MAGNITUDE, BECAUSE WHAT IS REQUIRED NOW IS TO HAVE THE
RELEVANT DOCUMENTS CHANGED IN YOUR FAVOR (AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM/CHANGE OF
OWNERSHIP AND DEPOSIT CERTIFICATE), THEREBY AUTOMATICALLY ASSERT YOU AS THE
BENEFICIARY TO THE SAID FUND. AS SOON AS THE ARRANGEMENT IS CONCLUDED, THE
REMITTANCE OF THE FUNDS WILL COMMENCE PROMPTLY.
NOTE: YOU ARE GOING TO RETAIN SOME PERCENTAGE AS A COMPENSATION FOR YOUR
ASSISTANCE IN THIS PROJECT.
I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE TO ENABLE ME DECIDE THE FATE OF THIS
TRANSACTION.

REGARDS,
THOMPSON MALIK


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