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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: wetsrenunion.plc@w.cn
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:49:05 -0700
Subject:



We have sent 9,000USD already through western union,as we
are mandated to transfer you the total sum of 300,000USD through Western
Union by the United Nations,(ECOWAS).Send Names,Address, Phone
number.Processing your first payment of $9,000USD to collect/Sender Information's

Sender First Name: George
Sender Last Name: Vanbuskirk
MTCN;= 6845925765
Amount;= 9,000USD
Text Question= When
Text Answer= Today

Call all or email me once you picked up this $9,000 USD
today. Here is the western union information, you can
also track it on-line at www.westernunion.com for
confirmation before going to their office to pick up

Mr. Ken Texman
Phone: +2348073061560
E-mail:wetsrenunion_plc@w.cn

Anti-fraud resources: