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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: "Larry Edwards" <larry11@servxmexico.com>
Reply-To: larryedwards33@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 23:20:03 -0600
Subject: Best Regards

Good-day,

You may be surprised to receive this letter from me,but it is a matter that I am convinced we can solve if we work together in harmony.However, I seek for your absolute confidence as I introduce myself to you. My name is DR.Larry Edwards, Assistant Auditor of a FINANCIAL COMPANY here in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

In the discharge of my duty as the Assistant Auditor, I stumbled on this domiciliary account belonging to a foreign businessman that has remained dormant for three years now with Ten million six hundred US dollars (US$10.6m) in it.I contacted my directors and we sent out staff for enquiries about this fund and discovered that the account holder died in an accident. I am writing you so that we can work together to remit the money to you as the next of kin because this money belongs to a foreigner and has to be claimed by a foreigner.

I guarantee this transaction under a legitimate arrangement that will not bridge the law by both parties. I have options to offer you, first you can choose to have certain percentage of the money for your assistance, or you can go into partnership for a proper profitable investment of the money. Which ever option you choose, feel free to notify me. If for some reasons you do not prefer a partnership,I am willing to give you 25% of the money, 15% for every expense that will be incurred during the transaction of this fund, and 60% will be for me and my partners as the originator of the business.It is simple process which will take a short while to process. To indicate your interest to work with us, Please forward your reply, your confidential telephone and fax numbers to enable me communicate with you easily.

Note, on the event that you cannot assist me to do the business, I beg you to still keep my contact and existence of this fund a secret.I will give you more detailed information's regarding on what to do and how to do it for us to achieve good success about the transaction as soon as I hear from you.

Best Regards,

DR.Larry Edwards.

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