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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: Maria.A.Hakis <mariahaki@netscape.net>
Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 20:48:44 +0200
Subject: Dearest Beloved

Dearest Beloved,

How are you today, hope all is well with you and your family. My name is Maria Angela Hakis, a girl from
Sierra Leone, am 25 years old am a house girl by profession, and I have a proposal to make which I
believe will be helpful to both of us. I got your contact through a legitimate reliable network online hence
decided to write you.

Like I told you at the beginning, I am a house help working under a woman who died recently. Before her
death, she was a very well known diamond merchant in Ghana and Bokinafaso who lived in Sierra
Leone. My late madam died without having any children or husband.

As a mark of appreciation for working with my Madam for several years, she gave me a will to the tune of
US$5.5 million which is presently with a security company in Europe for my name as the beneficiary.

l am presently living in Sierra Leone while this fund is in Europe, I cannot travel to Europe because of
difficulty in obtaining a visa moreover I don’t have a bank account where this money can be lodged, this
is the reason why I have contacted you’ l want you to stand as the beneficiary and help me claim this
fund from the security company in Europe.

You shall also help me invest this fund in any profitable business in your country or any part of the world
also intend to come over to continue my education. I have been in contact with the security company;
they promised to l that they will act on my instructions as soon as am through with my arrangement on
who can stand as a beneficiary to claim the fund on my behalf.

For your assistance I will offer you 25% for making my dream come true, I will also set aside 5% of the
total amount for any expenses that will arise during the course of transaction. Please note that all
documents relating to this transaction is with my late Madams lawyer, I will make them available once you
indicate your willingness to assist me.

Kindly include your telephone/fax number and other related information about yourself in your reply to
enable my representing lawyer contact you for more clarification.

Please make sure all your replies are directed to my private email address mariahaki@netscape.net have
a nice day and God bless you.


Best regards,

Maria A. Hakis


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