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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: DR BENSON HARRISON <wwqq7@att.net>
Reply-To: drbensonharison@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 12 May 2010 03:47:26 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: ATTENTION: HONORABLE BENEFICIARY



ATTENTION: HONORABLE BENEFICIARY

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE
CLAIM WITH A COMMERCIAL BANK IS TO BE RELEASED,VIA KEY TESTED TRANSFER(KTT) WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU THROUGH OUR AFFILIATE BANK IN EUROPE. IT IS PERTINENT TO NOTE THAT AN ISSUE OF THIS MAGNITUDE SHOULD HAVE COMMENCED WITH A FORMAL MEETING,BUT DUE TO THE TIME FACTOR AND THE URGENCY THIS MATTER REQUIRES,PLEASE BEAR WITH ME FOR MAKING THE INITIAL CONTACT THROUGH E-MAIL. MEAN WHILE,A MAN WITH BRITISH PASSPORT NUMBER 3028882234 CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER,CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE.

HERE ARE HIS INFORMATION BELLOW: NAME MR JACKSON HELM
BANK NAME:CITI BANK
BANK ADDRESS:ARIZONA, USA.
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 6504809009.

PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS MAN IS FROM YOU,SO THAT THIS OFFICE WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THIS INHERITANCE INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME.IF THIS WOMAN IS NOT YOUR REP,YOU ARE REQUESTED TO FILL AND RETURN THIS INFORMATION FOR VERIFICATION PURPOSES SO THAT YOUR INHERITANCE CLAIM VALUED US $10M DOLLARS ONLY WILL BE REMITTED INTO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT.THIS FUND IS AS A RESULT OF INHERITANCE ON YOUR BEHALF DEPOSITED BY AN AMERICAN WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH SOMETIME AGO.

1. YOUR NAME:................................................
2. YOUR ADDRESS:..............................................
3. YOUR TELEPHONE:...........................................
5. AGE:........................................................
6. SEX:.......................................................
7. YOUR OCCUPATION:...........................................
8. YOUR BANK DETAILS:........................................
9. YOUR COUNTRY..USA:.............................................

AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE THE ABOVE,WE SHALL COMMENCE WITH ALL NECESSARY
PROCEDURES IN OTHER TO TRANSFER THIS FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT THROUGH THE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE/FOREIGN OPERATIONS WHO
HANDLES ALL FOREIGN INHERITANCE CLAIM.WE SHALL PROCEED WITH THE PAYMENT
DETAILS TO THE SAID MR JACKSON HELM,IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN
THE NEXT THREE WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY.

BEST REGARDS.

DR BENSON HARRISON
(FOREIGN PAYMENT UNIT)

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