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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: Matthew Woo <matthew_woo04@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 07:56:14 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: GRACE INTERNTIONAL (Ref N0 0147)


Attn:VICTIM-FULLNAME
Ref No: 0147.

I write to acknowledge the receipt of your email,
this 17th day of june, 2006.
Kindly receive our warmest regards, for your consideration
of the offer to be our representative in your region, as we presently have customers from your region, who have signified interest to pay outstanding debts.
In addition, we assure you that this is not a part of the scams on the Internet, so feel free to participate, by helping us to also help you likewise.
However, i will go on , to throw more light, on your role(s), as our representative agent.
1. You are to get to our customers who buy our products and subsequently help us collect their outstanding payments which they owe to our company.
2. You will be be given a commission of 10% for any payment made to us, through you and will have instructions, on how to remitte the balance funds to us in turn.
Please be advised that we will have to begin the necessary process of approving you as our company representative upon our receipt of your understanding and your sincere abilities.
In addition, also send the following, along with your next email:
1. Your Full Names.
2. Address
3. Phone/Fax numbers
4. Date of birth
5. Driver's license or ID Number
6. Occupation
I am in the United Kingdom at this moment, setting up the European offices, so endeavour to reach me on phone, so we could discuss more in details.
Please confirm the receipt of this email for immediate correspondence and endeavour to ALWAYS indicate your reference number as above in all of your correspondence with us. (Your Reference number is 0147.)


Best Regards,
Mr.Matthew Woo
GRACE INTERNATIONAL



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