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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: "MCcarty Lewis" <mccarty_lewis@inbox.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: m55105421@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2006 12:16:05 -0800
Subject: Offshore Investment

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am MCcarty Lewis, I got your contact through the ACCRA chamber of
comence, here in ACCRA- GHANA. I am a citizen of Republic of Congo,
elder son to the Minister of Mines and Energy who was killed during the
Congo war by the rebels. My father died and left behind physical cash of
$32 Million USD which he safely kept in a Security Finance Company in
<GHANA> during his regime in the office. I want to invest this money in
any profitable business of your choice in your country. I am hereby
soliciting your assistance to be my foreign partner because I've not been
to Europe/U.S. before in my life. All the necessary documents of deposit
from the Security Company are with me. I will explain more as soon as
you get back to me via mail.

Thanks for your co-operation.

Yours truly.

MCcarty Lewis.


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