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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: "ahmad muhammad" <ahmad_muhammad@latinmail.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 22:41:59 +0100 (CET)
Subject: URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITY PLEASE.


HELLO DEAR FRIEND,=20

PLS I WANT YOU TO READ THIS LETTER VERY CAREFULLY AND I MUST APOLOGIZE =
FOR BARGING THIS MESSAGE INTO YOUR MAIL BOX WITHOUT ANY FORMAL INTRODUC=
TION DUE TO THE URGENCY AND CONFIDENTIAL OF THIS ISSUE AND I KNOW THAT =
THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE, PLS THIS IS NOT A JOKE AND=
I WILL NOT LIKE YOU TO JOKE WITH IT.=20
=B7 =20
I AM MR. AHMAD MUHAMMAD, A MANAGER IN BANK OF AFRICA (B.O.A) OUAGADO=
UGOU,=20
BURKINA FASO.=20

I HOPED THAT YOU WILL NOT EXPOSE OR BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THA=
T I AM ABOUT TO ESTABLISH WITH YOU FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF ME AND YOU=
=20

I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF ($31)MILLIONS =
USD INTO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHIN 7WORKING BANKING DAYS. THIS MONEY HAS BEEN=
DORMANT FOR YEARS IN OUR BANK WITHOUT CLAIM DUE TO THE OWNER OF THIS F=
UND DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY AND SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN IN AN AI=
R CRASH SINCE JULY 31ST 2000.=20

PLS GO THROUGH THE WEBSITE ( HTTP://NEWS.BBC.CO.UK/1/HI/WORLD/EUROPE/85=
9479.STM )=20
I WANT OUR BANK TO RELEASE THIS FUNDS TO YOU AS THE NEAREST PERSON TO O=
UR DECEASED CUSTOMER WHILE I COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY TO SHARE THIS FU=
ND WITH YOU AS SOON AS YOU CONFIRM THIS FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AND ASK =
ME TO COME OVER.=20

I DON'T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK TREASURE AS AN ABANDONED FUN=
D. SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY I CONTACTED YOU SO THAT OUR BANK WILL RELE=
ASE THIS MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER. PLEA=
SE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP SECRET AND DELETE IT=
IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTING.=20

UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY AND INDICATIONS OF YOUR CAPABILITY, I WI=
LL GIVE YOU FULL DETAILS ON HOW THE BUSINESS WILL BE EXECUTED AND ALSO =
NOTE THAT YOU WILL HAVE 45% OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED SUM IF YOU AGREE TO =
HANDLE THIS BUSINESS WITH ME WHILE 50% WILL BE FOR ME AND 5% FOR ANY EX=
PENSES THAT MAY ARISE ON THE PROCESS, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYONE HERE =
IN OUR BANK TO KNOW MY INVOLVEMENT UNTIL YOU CONFIRM THIS FUND INTO YOU=
R ACCOUNT AND ASK ME TO COME OVER FOR THE SHARING AS I INDICATED.=20
AM LOOKING FORWARD HEARING FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY.=20

THANKS WITH MY BEST REGARDS
MR.AHMAD.=20
=20
=20
=20

La carrera hacia la Casa Blanca, a un click de distancia http://www.sta=
rmedia.com/noticias/especiales/gobiernousa.html

Anti-fraud resources: