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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: "Scott Moore" <scottmoore03@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 13:56:17 +0000
Subject: RE: INVESTIGATION/INQUIRY ON AN INHERITANCE.

Dear Sir,

RE: INVESTIGATION/INQUIRY ON AN INHERITANCE.

MY NAME IS SCOTT MOORE.I FREELANCE AND WORK AS A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR FOR
CORPORATE ORGANZATIONS HERE IN NIGERIA,AFRICA.RECENTLY I WAS ASK TO HEAD A
TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS ABOUT A CLIENT OF THIS PARTICULAR BANK HERE IN NIGERIA
WHO DIED INTESTATE AND HAS A DEPOSIT WITH THIS BANK AND ITS AFFILIATE IN
EUROPE.UPON HIS DEATH WE TRIED LOOKING FOR HIS IMMEDIATE RELATION(S) TO NO
AVAIL.WE FURTHER GATHERED THAT OUR SAID CLIENT WHOSE NAME SHALL BE WITHHELD
FOR NOW FOR
SECURITY REASONS DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE HOUSE-HOLD IN THE INFAMOUS
TSUNAMI DISASTER WHICH CLAIMED LIVES AND PROPERTIES IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
WHILE ON HIS ANNUAL VACATION,SEQUEL TO THIS,FERVENT VALUABLE EFFORTS HAVE
MADE BY THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS BANK TO CONTACT ANY MEMEBER OF HIS FAMILY
THAT MIGHT AS WELL STAND AS A NEXT-OF-KIN AS HE NEVER INDIDCATED ANY BEFORE
HIS UNTIMELY DEATH.

IT IS IN THE LIGHT OF THE ABOVE I SUMMED UP COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE TO
CONTACT AND SEEK YOUR INTEREST TO USE YOU AS A FOREIGNER WHO WILL STAND AS
HIS NEXT-OF-KIN BEFORE THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BANK UPON MY FINAL
RE-COMENDATION IN THE CAPACITY OF THE HEAD OF INVESTIGATING PANEL SO THAT
THE FUNDS WOULD BE RELEASED AND PAID INTO YOUR CUSTODY AS THE BENEFICIARY'S
NEXT-OF -KIN AND FURTHER USED TO ASSIST HIS PEOPLE,THOSE THAT SURVIVED THE
DISASTER,BY PROVIDING RELIEF MATERIALS,SUPPORTS IN WHATEVER FORM SO THAT
HIS LABOUR SHOULD NOT BE IN VAIN BUT TO LEAVE BEHIND A LEGACY FOR HIS
PEOPLE.ALL DOCUMENTS AND PROVES TO ENABLE YOU RECIEVE THIS FUND WILL BE
CAREFULLY WORKED OUT AND MORESO AS A PROFESSIONAL IN THIS FIELD,I AM
ASSURING YOU OF 100% RISK-FREE INVOLVEMENT.AT THE END OF THE DAY,WE ARE ASLO
AWARE OF THE FACT THAT SOMETHING HAVE TO BE WORKED-OUT FOR OURSELVES HERE
AND FOR YOU THAT WILL BE RECIEVING THIS FUNDS.PLEASE,IF THE ABOVE PROPOSAL
IS OKAY BY YOU SIMPLY INDICATE YOUR WILLINGNESS AND I WILL LET YOU HAVE THE
PANACEA TO CLAIM IT.

GET BACK TO ME BY PHONE CALL,OR EMAIL.LET ME ALSO HAVE YOUR DIRECT
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
SCOTT MOORE.



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