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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: abu george23 <abugeorge23@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <kennethabu2006@excite.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 02:29:23 +0100
Subject: WEMA BANK PLC.



FROM THE DESK OF MR.ABU GEORGEWEMA BANK PLC,LAGOS-NIGERIA.DEAR FRIEND,my, email,kennethabu2006@excite.com
I AM MR. ABU GEORGE, THE MANAGER BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCEDEPARTMENT OF WEMA BANK PLC. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ANDCOOPERATION TO CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT. WE DISCOVEREDAN ABANDONED SUM OF $15,000,000.00 (FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) INAN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HISENTIRE FAMILY OF A WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN IN NOVEMBER 1997 IN A PLANE CRASH.
SINCE WE HEARD OF HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT-OF-KIN TO COME OVER ANDPUT CLAIMS FOR HIS MONEY AS THE HEIR,BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE FUND FROM HISACCOUNT UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE DECEASED ASINDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS NORDISTANT RELATIVES HAVE APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUND. UPON THIS DISCOVERY,I ANDOTHER OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT HAVE AGREED TO MAKE BUSINESS WITH YOU AND RELEASETHE TOTAL AMOUNT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE HEIR OF THE FUND SINCE NO ONE CAME FOR ITOR DISCOVERED HE MAINTAINED ACCOUNT WITH OUR BANK, OTHERWISE THE FUND WILL BERETURNED TO THE BANKS TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND.
WE HAVE AGREED THAT OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL BE AS STATED THUS;30 % FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER,60 % FOR US THE OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT AND10% FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF ALL LOCAL ANDFOREIGN EXPENCES INCURRED BY US AND YOU DURING THE COURSE OF THIS BUSINESS. UPON THESUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS TRANSFER, I AND ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL COME TO YOURCOUNTRY AND MIND OUR SHARE. IT IS FROM OUR 60 % WE INTEND TO IMPORT AGRICULTURALMACHINERIES INTO MY COUNTRY AS A WAY OF RECYCLING THE FUND.
TO COMMENCE THIS TRANSACTION, WE REQUIRE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY INDICATE YOUR INTERESTBY A RETURN E-MAIL AND ENCLOSE YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER, FAX NUMBERFULL NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOUR DESIGNATED BANK COORDINATES TO ENABLE US FILE LETTEROF CLAIM TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS FOR NECESSARY APPROVALS BEFORE THE TRANSFERCAN BE MADE. NOTE ALSO, THIS TRANSACTION MUST BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSEOF IT'S NATURE.I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.REGARDS,MR. ABU GEORGEWEMA BANK PLC.
_________________________________________________________________
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