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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: florince williams <mohammedmohammedaliali01@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: mrswilliams1997@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:08:15 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: from mrs williams


Dear Friend,=A0=20
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 .
Permit me to inform you of my desire to do business with you with my money =
in your country.I am a 35 year old=A0 woman from Sierra Loene in west Afric=
a.I elate to inform you that I inherited a total sum of $5 million Us dolla=
rs (Five million dollars) and 55kgs of gold dust from my late husband chief=
William , a gold and diamond dealer who was murdered early last year by th=
e former TOGO president=A0 over the dispute in their diamond and gold deal.
=A0
=A0This money which is concealled in a computerised suitcase is deposited i=
n a safe deposit company here in Cotonou, Republic of Benin where I am pres=
ently taking refuge with my two kids as family treasure not money for secur=
ity reason.That is to say that the deposit company does not know that the s=
uitcase contain money.This was done under a high powered government conecti=
on.=A0 your assistance is now sought in the transfer of this money to you c=
ountry for investment into any lucrative business of your choice.By this ma=
il, you are requested to visit me here for familiarisation and to enable us=
arrange on how to get this suitcase out from the deposit company and trans=
fer this money into your account in your country after which I will go back=
with you.But if you can not come down here, the director of the deposit co=
mpany can arrange and bring it to you in your country under their diplomati=
c coverage system just the same way it was brought from my country to
this place.You will be required to send me your pic to enable me know the =
person that I am dealing with.I will send mine soon after repairing my scan=
machine which is now faulty.
=A0
You will also be required to send to my lawyer, a copy of your internationa=
l passport or company registration certificate if any to enable him prepare=
an agreement for us. For rendering this service, you will be highly compen=
sated, a situation that will be discussed later. I want you to take this tr=
ansaction very serious because it will benefit you.I will later tell you wh=
y I reposed this trust and confidence in you, a person I have not met you b=
efore. we must act fast because it cost me $50 daily as demurage to the dep=
osit company keeping
this suitcase and the earlier we remove it from there the better for us.=A0=
God bless. Sincerely yours Mrs Williams=0A=0A=0A

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