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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: collins obi <collinsobi77@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:46:58 +0100
Subject: HELLO MY GOOD FRIEND,



HELLO MY GOOD FRIEND,
I KNOW THAT THIS LETTER MIGHT COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISED SINCE WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY PREVIOUS CORESPONDENCE,THIS IS AS A RESULT OF THE HELPLESS SITUATION I FOUND MYSELF INTO. MY NAME IS COLLINS OBI, I AM 35 YEARS OLD ,I GOT YOUR CONTACT DURING MY SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE, CAPABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY PERSON WHO CAN ASSIST ME IN THIS DARKEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE. I LOST MY FATHER, MOTHER AND TWO SISTERS WITH OUR FAMILY HOUSE DURING THE BOMB EXPLOSION AT THE ARMY CANTONMENT (BARRACKS) HERE IN NIGERIA.
I AM ALIVE WRITING YOU BECAUSE I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE OUTSIDE HOME AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSIONS. I AM WRITING YOU NOW FROM OUR CHURCH WHERE THE VICTIMS OF THE EXPLOSION ARE KEPT INCLUDING MYSELF. NO HOUSE NO GOOD HEALTH. BEFORE MY FATHER'S SUDDEN DEATH, HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF US$32,500,000.00 ( THIRTY TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) IN A BANK HERE IN NIGERIA.NOW THAT HE IS LATE AND I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT BEHIND, I SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE TO HELP ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN A SAFE AND SECURED ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY, SO THAT WE WILL INVEST IT IN A PROFITABLE BUSINESS VENTURE, BECAUSE I DONT WANT TO STAY HERE ANY LONGER AS A RESULT OF INSECURITY OF LIVES AND PROPERTIES.
I ALSO WANT TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION IN YOUR COUNTRY. PLEASE INDICATE YOUR READINESS TO ASSIST ME,SO THAT ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FUNDS WILL BE PASSED TO YOU IMMEDIATELY BY MY LATE FATHERS ATTORNEY WHO HAS AGREED TO HELP US LEGALLY. PLEASE I WILL LIKE YOU TO RE-ASSURE ME THAT YOU WILL NOT BETRAY ME AT THE END THIS TRANSACTION AND PLEASE KEEP THIS TRANSACTION CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE OF MY LATE FATHERS POSITION IN OUR GOVERNMENT AS A RETIRED GENERAL. IF THIS TRANSACTION IS PROPERLY EXECUTED, I AM PREPARED TO GIVE YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM FOR YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE.
YOU ARE REQUESTED TO GET BACK TO ME VIA MY EMAIL: TO ENABLE ME INSTRUCT MY LATE FATHERS ATTORNEY TO REACH YOU .
REGARDS, COLLINS OBI.
_________________________________________________________________
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