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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: "Barrister Lin Yong" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <linyong777@sify.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:51:59 +0800
Subject: Attention

Attention,

I am Lin Yong, an attorney at law. I discovered your email and information
through internet search so I decided to contact you.

A deceased client of mine, who hereinafter shall be referred to as my client,
died as the result of a heart-related condition on the 11 November 2001. His
heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the
Gulf Air Flight Crashes in Persian Gulf near Bahrain
Aired August 23, 2000 - 2:50 p.m. ET as reported on
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/23/bn.08.html

I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my
client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where
this deposit valued at NINTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS. ($19,000.000.00 USD).
Is lodged. This bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin,
or the account will be confiscated.

My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin
and beneficiary of my named client, so that the proceeds of this account can be
paid to you.Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage.
All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be
provided. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this
transaction through. This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from
many breach of the law.

If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology. I
must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to
keep this matter extraordinary confidential, whatever your decision, while I
await your prompt response. Please contact me
at once via my EMAIL ADDRESS or PHONE NUMBER to indicate your interest.

Email:linyong777@sify.com
Phone Number:+60-176-379-519

Best regards,
Barrister Lin Yong.

Anti-fraud resources: