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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: "ALPHA KROMAH" <alphakromah2005@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 18.20.48 +0100
Subject: GREETINGS OF THE YEAR

HELLO.
GREETINGS OF THE NEW YEAR. I AM MR ALPHA KROMAH, DIRECTOR OF ASHANTE GOLD MINE IN GHANA. I WAS BORN 58 YEARS AGO I AM MARRIED TO MRS SOFIA KROMAH WITH TWO CHILDREN. WITH REPECT I WHICH TO HAVE YOU AS MY PARTNER IN THIS INVESTMENT ON PROPIETIES IN YOUR COUNTRY. I WILL BE IN EUROPE ON THE 20/JANUARY 2006 , SO THAT WE BOTH CAN MEET FOR MORE DISCUSSION. I WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE YOUR TRANSMISSION BY MAIL FOR CONFIDENTIALITY.
REGARDS.
MR ALPHA KROMAH.


Anti-fraud resources: