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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: Johnson Wilson <johnsonwilnet2@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: johnson_wils@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 02:33:02 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR URGENT RESPOND


FROM: MR JOHNSON WILSON
ACCRA GHANA

I’M SURE THAT THIS OFFER WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO YOU BUT DO CONSIDER IT AS AN EMERGENCY. I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU. MY NAME IS MR. JOHNSON WILSON. (BRANCH MANAGER OF A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION HEAR IN GHANA) OUR CLIENT DIED FOUR YEARS AGO LEFT BEHIND THE SUM OF (US$14.5M WITH INTEREST) IN OUR BANK, WHICH AM THE MANAGER, TILL HIS DEATH UP TILL NOW NOBODY HAS COME FORWARD OR PUT REQUEST FOR THE CLAIM OF FUND.

DURING THE BANK PRIVATE SEARCH FOR THE RELATIVE RECENTLY YOUR NAME AND EMAIL CONTACT WAS AMONG THE FINDINGS THAT MATCHES THE SAME SURNAME AS THE DECEASES NAME IS (WITHHELD FOR SECURITY REASON) WHO DIED INTERSTATE I HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER BUT UNFORTUNATELY I LEARNT THAT THE NEXT OF KIN IS LATE.

TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SECURITY REQUIRED I HAVE INTENTIONALLY LEFT OUT THE FINAL DETAILS. I WANT YOU TO COME FORWARD SINCE I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THE DETAILS NEEDED FOR YOU TO CLAIM THE FUNDS. IN THIS WAY 40% FOR YOU AND 60% FOR ME.

IF I DON’T HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD I WILL ASSUME YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED AND WILL SOLICIT FOR ANOTHER ASSOCIATE, BUT IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE INTERESTED LET US WORK TOGETHER WITH LOVE AND TRUST WITHIN 4/5 WORKING DAYS THE MONEY WILL HIT YOUR ACCOUNT.

THANKS AND REGARDS
MR.WILSON

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Anti-fraud resources: