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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. Roland smith" <rolandsk44@1000000jf.com>
Reply-To: ROLAND K SMITH <rkudismith@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:15:29 +0100 (GMT+01:00)
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVATE.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Mr.Roland Kudi Smith from Accra, here in Ghana. I work in one of
the banks in Ghana. I am writing you from my office because of an
opportunity that will be of an immense benefit for both of us. In my
department, being the Manager Credit and Foreign Bills(Accra Regional
Office),I will need your assistance in this business transaction.I
would like you to stand as the next of kin to my deceased client,Mr
Richard R. Lyons, who died in a plane crash in January 8,2003 plane
crash.Check the website for the details of the plane crash:

http://aviation.crosswindlanding.com/accidents/air_midwest_5481.htm

He was a construction magnate who made a deposit of $17Million with
our bank.He died without any registered next of kin and as such the
funds now have an open beneficiary mandate. And the banking ethics
here does not allow such money to stay more than seven years,because
the money will be recalled to the bank treasury as unclaimed bill
after this period.

On your confirmation of this message and indicating your interest, I
will furnish you with more details.

Please endeavor to provide me the following in your reply.

1.Your Full Name:

2.Your Contact Address:

3.Your Profession:

4.Your Age:

5.Your Phone&Fax Number:

I urgently hope to get your response as soon as possible.

Yours Sincerely,
Mr.Roland Kudi Smith
Manager Credit and Foreign Bills
(Accra Regional Office)

Anti-fraud resources: