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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: TASK FORCE ON FUND/DEBT RECOVERY <taskforce_dfrecovery@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 01:33:14 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT


FROM:THE DIRECTORS OFFICE,
TASK FORCE ON FUND/DEBT RECOVERY
ECOWAS SUB-REGION,GHANA
WEST AFRICA
TEL:+233 243468001,FAX:+233 277437802

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

INFORMATION REACHING US HERE IN THE TASK FORCE ON FUND AND DEBT RECOVERY OFFICE IN ECOWAS SUB-REGION OFFICE VIA ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME CONTROL FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA THAT YOU HAVE BEEN HANDLED MY SOME DISGRUNTLED ELEMENT IN THE SOCIETY FOR A FINANCIAL IMPROPRIETY OR OTHERWISE,AS A RESULT OF TRYING TO TRANSFER MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT OVERSEAS.

THE FEDERAL GOVT.OF NIGERIA HAS SET UP A COMMITTE TO HELP YOU RECOVER THOSE DEBT UNDER ONE MONTH FROM THE DATE OF THIS MEMO.

YOU ARE THERFORE ADVICED TO FORWARD TO US YOUR DETAILED CONTACTS,THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE THAT DID THE BUSINESS WITH YOU,THE DOCUMENTS COVERING THE TRNSACTIONS,TH DESIGNATED BANK OF PAYMENT.
WE WILL MAKE AN ENQUIRY WITHIN 24 HOURS TO KNOW WHETHER YOUR NAME IS IN TH GOVERNMENT PAID LIST OR IF THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE ARESTED AND YOUR MONEY RETUNED TO YOU WITHIN 14 DAYS FROM NOW.

PLEASE DO GT BACK TO US THROUH EMAIL BEFORE YOU WILL FAX YOUR DOCUMENTS TO US.

SIR FRANCIS HARUNA
DIRECTOR,TFFD RECOVERY


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