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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: "fred adinson" <fred_adinson_11@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: fred_adinson2@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2005 14:12:40 +0000
Subject: TRUST ???

DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS FRED ADINSON, DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL
REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT,EURO CREDIT AND LOAN LONDON.I AM WRITTING IN RESPECT
OF A FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY
BANK(MR. MARTIN GREENBERG,FROM CONNECTICUT,USA)WHO
PERISHED IN THE PLANE CRASH OF 31 OCTOBER 1999[WITH
EGYPTIAN AIRLINE 990] WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ON ABOARD.

SIR, SINCE THE DEMISE OF MR. MARTIN GREENBERG, I PERSONALLY HAVE WATCHED
WITH KEEN INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO
ONE HAS COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF USD30M,[THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES
DOLLARS] WHICH HAS BEEN WITH OUR BANK HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.ON THIS NOTE
I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN,AS NO
ONE HAS COME UP TO PUT CLAIM AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THIS FUNDS AND THE
BANKING ETHICS HERE DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY MORE THAN FIVE
YEARS,BECAUSE AFTER FOUR YEARS THE MONEY WILL BE CALLED BACK TO THE BANK
TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL.

IN VIEW OF THIS I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH THE BRITISH
FOREIGN TRADE BILATERAL MISSION AFTER I WAS CONVINCED
IN MY MIND THAT YOUR NAME/COMPANY COULD BE USED AS THE
NEXT OF KIN TO THIS CLAIM.THE REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER
AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE
FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A BRITON
CANNOT STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.

I AGREED THAT 30% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A
FOREIGN PARTNER IN RESPECT OF PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT
WHILE 10% WILL TAKE OF ANY EXPENSES THAT MIGHT BE
INCURED IN THE PROCEES OF SUCCEEDING THE TRANSFER AND
THE REST WILL BE FOR ME. THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR
COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT AS I AM ALMOST DUE FOR
RETIREMENT. I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS
BUSINESS IS HITCH FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT
ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE WHOLE REQUIRED ARRANGEMENT
HAS BEEN PERFECTED FOR THE TRANSFER.

PLEASE REPLY TO THIS EMAIL: fred_adinson2@yahoo.com
HOPING TO HEARING FROM YOU SOONEST.

BEST REGARDS,

MR FRED ADINSON


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