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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: "Mrs. Mariam Sankoh" <sankoh009@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: sankoh001@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:26:39 +0100
Subject: Re: Info

Dear Sir/Madam,

=46rom where my family sort refuge under the auspices of UNHCR in Republi=
c of=20
Guinea since 2003, I Mrs. Mariam Sankoh, wife of the deceased Paul Chieck=
=20
Sankoh, a formal freedom fighter or what people may call rebel in Sierra=20
Leon, decided to write you this mail to solicit your help to move some mo=
ney=20
hitherto hidden in a security company in Europe to your account anywhere =
in=20
the world. It=92s expedient now since the war has ended and the situatio=
n in=20
our country is gradually coming to normal. My family wants to use this mo=
ney=20
to invest in one of the West African countries =96 precisely in Nigeria. =
I=20
have contracted an Attorney in Nigeria to make sure this age long dream o=
f=20
stabilizing my family is achieved. I have handed him over this deal to=20
transact with you to ensure that all protocols are observed concerning th=
e=20
movement of this money so that it does not violate any international law.

Full details will be further given if I hear from you. Also I will=20
appreciate if you can send me immediately your phone number including mob=
ile=20
line, fax and your address. Also your position in your company which will=
=20
elucidate your ability to handle this money once it is in your hand. Plea=
se=20
note that the transaction is hitch-free since I will give you the documen=
t=20
which my husband used in depositing the money and with the advice of my=20
lawyer everything will be done professionally. Do note that the success o=
f=20
the deal depends on you ability to keep it secret.

Regards

Mrs. Mariam Sankoh

_________________________________________________________________
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