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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: pr.steven71@tnn.net
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 12:19:34 +0200
Subject: =?windows-1254?Q?USE_OF_YOUR_PERSONAL/COMPANY_BANK_ACCOUNT?=

From: Steven Nguessan & sister.
Refugee camp abidjan,
Cote d'Ivoire.
Alt. email: k_stevens71@myway.com
  
Dear respectful,

Going by the fact that we have not met before, nor have a former contact with you, permit us to inform you our desire of going into business relationship with, which by virtue shall bring financial-upliftment, greatness and honour to our respective families on its conclussion.

Purpose of contact:
Our parents, Chief & Mrs. Thomas Nguessan (late) were very wealthy Gold/Ivory marchants based in Abidjan, capital of Cote d'Ivoire. Recently, on their return from a business trip in Bangkok to negotiate on business deal, they parents were attacked by some unknwon assasins. Unfortunately our mother died instantly while our father was taken to a specialist hospital where he died 6days after. Before he (my father) finally gave up ghost, he called me on his bed-side as his only son and disclosed to me confidentially of this US$12.5M cash deposit he made with one of the commercial banks in Abidjan city, for onward transfer abroad for our proposed family investment.

My father also told me that it is because of this very huge
sum that his business rivals & associates want to kill him, thereby urged me with urgency to go to his personal underground safe in our family villa to collect to my custody all the depository documents of the fund, then quicly look for a trustworthy & God-fearing foreign investor who shall not betray us, to help us transfer the money oversea for investment in any lucrative business of our choice for our future welfare.

Now, the funeral of our late parents is over and we have choosing you with confidence to be our foreign business partner, in order to help us transfer the US$12.5M to your personal /company bank account for investment with you in your country.

Moreso, I and my sister has agreed that 12.5% out of the total
amount will be your cash compensation while an addition of 5% will be added incase of any expenses you may incure on the process.

Please, on your acceptance to help us, we will be very glad to receive your reply as soon as possible. Email at: k_stevens71@myway.com

Thanks & God bless you.

Steven & sister

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