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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: Celine Johnson <keazy4real@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: celinejohnson1989@yahoo.fr
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2010 06:41:26 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: From: Mrs Celine Johnson
















From: Mrs Celine Johnson
 
 
My Beloved one in Christ,
 
I greet you with all my heart. It is true that this letter may come to you as a suprise, but nevertheless, i ask you to give me your attention and hear me well.
 
I am Mrs Celine Johnson from Zimbabwe, married to late David Johnson who was appointed Executive Accountant with the Cote D'ivoire Ministry of Resources and Energy by United Nation (UN). My husband died after a brief illness here in Cote D'ivoire and ever since then I decide not to marry again due to my religious belief as a Christian. Besides  during the period of our marriage, we have only a son (Nelson Johnson) who is now sixteen years old.
 
My Beloved one, I have a liver damage (Cancer) and i can't live longer than  four months from now according to what my doctor told me.
             
                  When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of $13,800,000.00 USD (Thirteen Million Eight Hundred Thousand USA dollars) with a bank here in Abidjan Cote D'ivoire.The money was registered under Fix deposit account. Presently,the money is in custody of the bank.
 
I cannot think of any body else trying to kill me apart from my late husband brother in order to inherit the money because my son is only 16 years old.
 
All i need from you is to invest the fund for my only son,take care of him as your own son and give him a good education even when am no more.
 
I will issue a vital document that will prove you the right beneficiary of the fund in the bank here in Abidjan Cote Divoire.
After the transfer of the money into your bank account,my son shall relocate to your country to start a new life under your care.
 
I hope that you will not betray this trust if i change the deposit documents to your name and make you the new beneficiary..
 
If you can be of assisatance to my son,i will really appreciate it with all my heart.
 
This message is very urgent.
 
Remain blessed,
Mrs Celine Johnson.



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