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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: "MR.HARLEN.JAMES" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.harlen.james@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:51:19 +0100
Subject: GOOD NEWS

 
This mail is to get you informed that your fund which was wrongly transferred  into the below banking details due to impersonation made by (Mr. David Ramsey) the owner of the Bank Of America account details below, We are pleased to get you informed that your fund had been regained by the Eco Bank Financial institute www.ecobank.com as the message got to my desk  earlier today at the Foreign Payment department.
 
Bank of America
921 E. Arques Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA. 94085
 
Account Name: David Ramsey
Checking Account # 0585-67567
Routing Number # 128743858
Total Fund To Be Transferred : US$6,500,000.00
 
The Eco Bank Plc which are in possession of your fund demands your new  banking information’s in which you desire that your fund should be transferred into, and also Eco Bank demands the sum of $185 as the cost of  re-programming your new banking details before the transfer of your fund  into your new bank account shall proceed.
 
Please Note that your prompt response to our mails coupled with honesty and  diligent shall aid in getting your fund without let, delays or obstructions  in getting your funds successfully. You are to mail back to me for payment instructions, as the Eco bank Plc  waits to receive the payment for the re-programing, so your fund could be re-programmed into your banking details and transferred immediately.
 
Thanks for your co-operation.
 
Mr. Harlen James     

Anti-fraud resources: