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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: THOMAS ALEX <thomas4_alex@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2005 13:10:27 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: GET BACK TO ME...


FROM BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER NIGERIAN FINANCE BANK PLC, ANNEX-WEST AFRICA. ATTN: I AM THOMAS, I AM THE MANAGER BILL AND EXCHANGE DEPT.AT THE NIGERIAN FINANCE BANK PLC, ANNEX- WEST AFRICA. WITH DUE RESPECT I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US. AT THE BANK'S LAST ACCOUNTS/AUDITING EVALUATIONS, MY STAFFS CAME ACROSS AN OLD ACCOUNT WHICH WAS BEING MAINTAINED BY A FOREIGN CLIENT WHO WE LEARNT WAS AMONG THE DECEASED PASSENGERS OF AN AIRLINE CRASH ON 6TH NOV.2000.SINCE THE DECEASED WAS UNABLE TO RUN THIS ACCOUNT SINCE HIS DEATH. THE ACCOUNT HAS REMAINED DORMANT WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS FAMILY SINCE IT WAS PUT IN A SAFE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT IN THE BANK FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT BY THE CLIENT.SINCE HIS DEMISE, NOBODY, NOT EVEN THE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY HAVE APPLIED FOR CLAIMS OVER THIS FUND AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SAFE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT UNTIL WE DESCOVERED THAT IT CANNOT BE CLAIMED SINCE OUR CLIENT IS A FOREIGN NATIONAL AND WE ARE !
SURE THAT
HE HAS NO NEXT OF KIN HERE TO FILE CLAIMS OVER THE MONEY. AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPT, THIS DISCOVERY WAS BROUGHT TO MY OFFICE SO AS TO DECIDE WHAT IS TO BE DONE. I DECIDED TO SEEK WAYS THROUGH WHICH TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY OUT OF THE BANK AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY TOO. THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN THE ACCOUNTS IS $7.3milliom [SEVEN MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS] .WITH OUR POSITIONS AS STAFFS OF THE BANK, WE ARE HANDICAPPED BECAUSE WE CAN NOT OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT AND CANNOT LAY BONAFIDE CLAIM OVER THIS MONEY. THE CLIENT IS A FOREIGN NATIONAL AND YOU WILL ONLY BE ASKED TO ACT AS HIS NEXT OF KIN AND I WILL SUPPLY YOU WITH ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATIONS AND BANK DATA TO ASSIST YOU IN BEING ABLE TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO ANY BANK OF YOUR CHOICE WHERE THIS MONEY COULD BE TRANSFERRED INTO. I HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE AWAY TWENTY FIVE (25%) TO YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND FIVE (5%) FOR ANY EXPENSES THAT MIGHT ARISE DURING THE TRANSAC! TION OF THIS TRANSFER. WE WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT !
THIS
TRANSACTION IS ABSOLUTELY RISK FREE SINCE WE WORK IN THIS BANK WHICH IS WHY YOU SHOULD BE CONFIDENT IN THE SUCCESS OF THIS TRANSACTION BECAUSE YOU WILL BE UPDATED WITH INFORMATION AS AT WHEN DESIRED. I WILL PLEASE WISH YOU KEEP THIS TRANSACTION SECRET AS I AM HOPING TO RETIRE WITH MY SHARE OF THIS MONEY AT THE END OF TRANSACTION WHICH WILL BE WHEN THIS MONEY IS SAFELY IN YOUR ACCOUNT. I WILL THEN COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR SHARING ACCORDING TO THE PREVIOUSLY AGREED PERCENTAGES.YOU MIGHT EVEN HAVE TO ADVISE ME ON POSSIBILITIES OF INVESTMENT IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ELSE WHERE OF OUR CHOICE. PLEASE FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONS AND ENQUIRIES FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME THROUGH THIS BOX AND DO NOT FAIL TO SEND ME YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR EASIER COMMUNICATION. THANKS AND REMAIN BLESSED. MR.THOMAS ALEX,



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