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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: Leslie John <leslie658@latinmail.com>
Reply-To: eslie658@latinmail.com
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 15:18:01 +0100
Subject: A great business proposal


I am Mr. Leslie John, a citizen of the Spain. I am an employee of financial firm in Madrid that helped Mr Howard Duguma a citizen from the republic of Kenya to deposit a huge some of money to the tune of 3 million dollars in Spain..

I controlled a number of private accounts, one of them belongs to Late Mr. Howard Duguma who died in a ghastly motor accident, without him willing the fund to a next of kin as he did not want his Government to know and tax him on the fund.

I will appeal to you to act as the next of kin to the funds so that we may prepare the necessary legal documentation, that would allow the remittance to you legally.

If a claim is not put forward, eventually the funds will become forfeited to the State as there was no known beneficiary name put forward before he died. He was a businessman who made lots of money.

I wish to assure you, that there is no risk involved, since all the necessary documents and paper work establishing the claim will be imputed in the database as an insider and the remittance will be effected within the legality of the law.

I am prepared to give you 30% of the total deposit if you agree to act as beneficiary to the deposit. To proceed, I need you full names and contact information to facilitate the necessary procedures, thereafter we shall employ the services of an attorney to file officially for the claim.

I am anxiously waiting for your prompt response through this email address:

lelie658@latinmail.com

Thanks

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