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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: "Mr. Harly Ross" <harlyross@live.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:28:29 -0400
Subject:




Good Day,

My Name is Mr. Harley Ross, and I work in the International Operation Department in a finance company here in London UK. I feel quite safe dealing with you in this important business. Though, this medium (Internet) has been greatly abused, I choose to reach you through it because it still remains the fastest medium of Communication. However, this correspondence is Unofficial and private, and it should be treated as Such.

At first I will like to assure you that this Transaction is 100% risk and trouble free to both Parties. We Want to Transfer out money from our financial house here in London and the fund is a clean fund. The owner of this account is a foreigner, a Program leader. Until his death, The Late Prime Minister, Mr. Rafik Hariri, has a huge investment here In the United Kingdom and all over the world, as a Matter of fact he has the sum of TWENTY ONE MILLION BRITISH POUNDS (GBP21MILLION) in his account here in London, which he Deposited as a family valuables.

The family does not know about this deposit. I was on a Routine inspection that I discovered a dormant domiciliary account with a balance Of TWENTY ONE MILLION BRITISH POUNDS (GBP21MILLION) on further discreet investigation. I also Discovered that the account holder has passed away (Dead) leaving no beneficiary to the account. Our finance house will approve this money to any foreigner, because the Former operator of the a/c is a foreigner. I am certainly sure that nobody will come again for the Claim of this money. it is only a foreigner can claim this Money with legal claims to the account Holder; Therefore I need your cooperation in this transaction. I will provide all necessary information needed in Order to claim this money for our interest, hoping in God that you will never let me down now and in future.

I WANT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY INTO A SAFE FOREIGN ACCOUNT ABROAD, BUT I DON'T KNOW ANY FOREIGNER WHOM I CAN TRUST, I KNOW THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE AS WE DON'T KNOW OURSELVES BEFORE, BUT BE REST ASSURE THAT IT A GENUINE BUSINESS. I CONTACT YOU BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL NOT LET ME DOWN, ONCE THE FUND GOES INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

more information about Mr. Rafik Hariri can be found here: http://www.rhariri.com/general.aspx?pagecontent=biography

You can contact me on my email: harlyross@live.com

I am waiting anxiously for your urgent response.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Harley Ross

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