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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: "Sharon Williams" <sharon_williams03_20012001@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2007 12:28:17 +0000
Subject: Please help me dear beloved Ernest.

Please help me dear beloved Ernest.

Please,i am 18 years old miss Sharon Williams,from Togo.Permit
me,i want you to help me transfer my inheritance fund USD$1,300,000.00 to
overseas.I am willing to offer you 30%. As soon as i receives your reply i
will give you the information of the bank where the money was deposited by
my late father of which i am the approved next of kin.

Thanks and God bless.
Miss Sharon Williams.
Dear beloved this is my yahoomail account below:
sharon_williams03_20012001@yahoo.com

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