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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Warren Watson <wwtson@sify.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 06:47:01 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Hello!! My Dear,


Hello!! My Dear,How are you together with your family? I hope all is well? It is an unequivocal fact that we’ve not met nor communicated before now, due to the true revelation that I should share this life changing opportunity with you, I had no choice but to contact you. So, kindly consider this message essentially confidential.   First and foremost, I am MR WARREN WATSON, from Burkina Faso in West Africa, the Audit and Account Manager Group bank of Africa (BOA) Ouagadougou Burkina Faso,My Home address: Avenue Sennism road no 24.801-sector 41(Sennism) 11 BP 1713 Ouagadougou Burkina Faso .     I have the intent to contact you for transfer of ($ 6.2M USD Six Million Two Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) into your personal bank account for the betterment of our lives; this should be an extremely confidential transaction between us. On your assisting me to get this fund transferred into your bank account, the ratio of 30% of the total sum
SHALL be for you while 70% will be for me.     I need your urgent response on assurance of trust that you will not deny me my share once the fund is credited to your personal bank account as I am a poor civil servant who depend solely on my monthly salary.     If you are really sure of your integrity, trustworthy, and confidentiality, reply back to me immediately. And to prove your integrity and sincerity of purpose, please, include your particulars as follows.     (1) Your full names:  (2) Private phone number:  (3) Current residential address:  (4) International passport copy or ID card:  (5) Age and Sex:  (6) Occupation:  (7) Country of origin:     Upon your urgent response, I shall provide you more details and how to proceed with this transaction. I look expecting to hearing from you Immediatly.        Thanks, Best Regard.  MR WARREN WATSON. TELEPHONE NUMBER/ +22678189704.


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Anti-fraud resources: