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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: lobebe john <lobebe_john@yahoo.com.au>
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 03:44:35 +1000 (EST)
Subject: Form Mr Lobebe johnson


FROM MR LOBEBE JOHNSON.
ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING DEPT MANAGER,
AFRICA DEVELOPMENT BANK-COTONOU,
REPUBLIC OF BENIN.WEST AFRICA.
Dear Good Friend,

I am Mr Lobebe johnson the manager of Accounting and Auditing dept at the
Africa development bank-COTONUO, BENIN REPUBLIC.I am writing following
the impressive information about you through an internet business
proposal.In my department I discovered an abandoned sum of $18.5 M, Us
dollars in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customer who died
along with his entire family in 26/December/2004 IN THE TSUNAMI
EARTQUAKE DISASTER. Read the full article
t:<http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/206097_mccumber01.html>
Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his
next of kin to come over and claim his money because we can not release
it unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to the
decease as indicated in our banking guidelines and laws, but unfortunately
I learnt that allhis supposed next of kin or relation died along side with him at the
plane clash leaving no body behind for the claim.
It is therefore upon this discovery that I decided to make this
business proposal to you and so that the bank will release the money to you as
the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent
disbursement since nobody is coming for it and I don't want this money
to go into the bank treasury as unclaimed bill.

The banking law and guideline here stipulates that if such money
remained unclaimed after Five years, the money will be transferred into the
bank treasure as unclaimed fund. The request of a foreigner as next of
kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a
foreigner and a Beninois cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.

I agree that 40% of this money will be for you as a foreign partner,
inrespect to the provision of a foreign account, 10% will be set aside
for expenses incurred during the business and 50% will be for me.
There after I will visit your country for disbursement according to the
percentagesindicated.

Therefore, to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you as
arranged, you must apply first to the bank as relation or next or kin of
the deceased indicating your bank name, your bank account, your private
telephone and fax number for easy and effective communication and
location where in the money will be remitted.

Upon receipt of your reply, i will send to you by fax or email the text
of the application. I will not fail to bring to your notice that this
business is hicth-free and that you should not entertain any atom of
fear as allrequired arrangements have been made for the transfer.

Trusting to hear from you immediately.
Yours faithfully,
Form Mr Lobebe johnson

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