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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: "Barr. Francis Cheng. (Esq)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <solicitors.cheng@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 31 May 2010 17:23:01 +0800
Subject: CONGRATULATION..

FRANCIS CHENG & CO.
ADVOCATES & SOLICITORS ,
Lot 18, Tingka 4 Menera Plaza,
Jalan Ampang Hilir
55100 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
===================


Attention:

Your e-mail address came up in a random draw conducted by our law firm, Francis Cheng & Associates Chambers in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, My name is Francis Cheng ( Esq ). A personal attorney to our late client Mr. Krishnan Mansor who worked for an oil firm here in Malaysia before his death.

The late Mr.Krishnan Mansor was a well known Philanthropist, Prior to his death, he made a WILL stating that $4.8M( Four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only ) should be donated to any Philanthropist of our choice overseas.

As a result of the aforementioned, we have made a random draw and your name and e-mail address was picked as the beneficiary to this WILL. We have been directed by the bank to produce the beneficiary within a statutory time period of 2 weeks. Failure to do so, the Estate shall be transferred to the Government and have it credited to the government's treasury as stipulated by law.

Upon taking custody of the funds, it is compulsory that you donate 40% of the total Estate value to charity. This is clearly stated in the Will by our late client while you retain 60% for yourself. In fulfillment of the above, you are required to contact me immediately to start the process of transferring this Estate{funds} to any of your designated official bank account.

I urge you to contact me immediately for further details, bearing in mind that the bank has given us a time limit. Please contact me urgently via my personal email address as follows:

Kind Regards,
Francis Cheng. (Esq)

Anti-fraud resources: