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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: "WALE ADEWALE" <wale_adewale@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2006 10:31:11 +0000
Subject: VERY URGENT

HELLO MY FREIND,
I AM PROFFESSOR WALE ADEWALE,THE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION CHAIRMAN
OF REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA WEST AFRICA.
RECENTLY WE CONDUCTED A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN MY COUNTRY,DURING THE
PREPARATION FOR THE ELECTION MANY DONORS CAME TO SUPPORT US IN DIFFRENTS
WAYS BECAUSE WE LACKED THE MANPOWER AND FINANCIAL BASE TO HOLD AN
ELECTION,BUT WITH THE TIMELY INTERVENTION OF THE AFRICAN UNION,EUROPEAN
UNION AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD A FREE AND FAIR
ELECTION.
AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION SOME 11.7 MILLON EUROS DONATED DIRECTLY TO
ME TO AVOID GOVERNMENT INTERFRENCE. NOW THE ELECTION IS OVER AND EVERYTHING
IS BACK TO NORMALCY AFTER WE CONCLUDED OUR AUDITING AND CHECKING OF THE
WHOLE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMISSION DURING THE ELECTION AND THE GOVERNMENT
HAVE GIVEN US AT THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH ON OUR TOTAL
JOB.
MY ONLY FEAR NOW IS THAT THOSE WHO FELT VICTIMIZED DURING THE ELECTION MAY
START A PERSONAL AND SECRET INVESTIGATION IN TO MY PRIVATE LIFE AND IF THEY
FOUND OUT THAT I HAVE MILLION EUROES IN MY ACCOUNT THAT WILL AMOUNT TO A
BIG TROUBLE FOR ME AND WILL DEFINITLY CAUSE PROBLEM HERE BECAUSE THEY WILL
ACCUSE THE PRESIDENT OF BRIBING HIS WAY TO POWER AND THAT WILL CAUSE A LOT
OF EMBARASSMENT TO THE WHOLE NATION.
MY FREIND I DONT MIND INVITING YOU HERE TO COME AND SEE THINGS FOR YOUR SELF
IF ONLY THAT WILL MAKE YOU BELIEVE WHAT I AM TELLING YOU HERE TODAY. I CAN
EVEN TAKE YOU TO MY OFFICE JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM SERIOUS ABOUT THIS
ISSUE.
WHAT I NEED FROM YOU IS TO HELP ME AND KEEP THIS MONEY IN A SAFE ACCOUNT IF
YOU KNOW YOU ARE MATURED ENOUGH TO HAVE SUCH MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND STILL
BE YOUR USUAL SELF. I WILL NOT LIKE TO RESIGN MY APPOINTMENT NOW BECAUSE IF
I DO ,IT WILL SEND SOME WRONG SIGNALS ABOUT MY INTENTION.
YOU CAN INVEST THE MONEY IN ANY GOOD BUSINESS ESPECIALLY IN REAL ESTATE
BUSINESS PENDING THE TIME I WILL LEAVE OFFICE AND JOIN YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY.
THIS IS A VERY FREE AND CLEAN TRANSACTION, I CALL YOU BECAUSE WE ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO OPERATE A FOREIGN ACCOUNT AS LONG AS WE' RE STILL HOLDING
GOVERNMENT APPIONTMENTS.
I AM READY TO OFFER YOU 40% OF THE TOTAL FUND IF YOU AN HELP IN THIS
TRANSATION WHICH IS TO ALLOW THIS MONEY IN TO YOU ACCOUNT.
I WILL BE GLAD TO GET YOUR REPLY THROUGH MY ALLTENATIVE EMAIL ADDRESS
adewale_wale10@yahoo.com
BEST REGARDS.
PROF.WALE ADEWALE


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