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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: "fred adams" <fredadams22@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: fredadams2yk@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2006 23:43:13 -0900
Subject: very urgent

Dear Friend,

Dear Friend,
I am Fred Adams a Liberian by Birth. I am
the Personal Assistant to late Mr. Gerald Smith a
Foreigner (American), who was a contractor to African,
Late Gerald Smith who died OnOn the 31st October, 1999,
Mr Gerald Smith and his wife Barbara
Were involved in a Plane crash on Egypt Air Flight 990.
I am contacting you to help assist me in ensuring
That the funds lodged by my client with his Financial
And Security Firm is not declared unclaimed hence
Where the deceased had an account valued at about

US$21M (twenty one million dollars). Consequently, the bank
My reason for this contact to you.
This Financial Firm has issued me a notice to contact
The next of kin or the account will be confiscated.
My proposition to you is to seek your consent to
Present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my
Late client, so that the proceeds of this account can
Be paid to you, Then we can share the amount on a
Mutually agreed-upon percentage.
All legal documents to back up your claim as my
Client’s next-of-kin will be provided. All I require
is your honest cooperation to enable us see this
Transaction through.
This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
That will protect you from any breach of the law. If
This business proposition offends your moral values, do
Accept my apology, and ignore this mail.
Telephone and fax numbers for easy communication.

Hoping to hearing from you soonest
best regard.
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Fred Adams


Anti-fraud resources: