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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: "Arthur Johnson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <joarthur@w.cn>
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:51:29 -0700
Subject: **THIS IS FOR YOUR ATTENTION**

FROM ARTHUR JOHNSON
HEAD OF INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT
GUARANTY TRUST BANK NIGERIA PLC,
PLOT 1669, OYIN OLAYEMI STREET,
VICTORIA- ISLAND, LAGOS,
NIGERIA.
EMAIL:JOARTHUR@W.CN

SUBBJECT: BENEFICIARY SUM OF US$17.3MILLION

I AM SEEKING FOR YOUR COOPERATION TO PRESENT YOU TO MY BANK AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO MR. JOSEPH LEE, A FOREIGN CONTRACTOR WITH NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM COOPERATION (NNPC): SO THAT THE SUM OF US$17.3MILLION WILL BE PAY TO YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I AM THE HEAD OF INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT WITH GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC,
MANDATED ME TO LOOK FOR ANY KNOWN RELATION OF THE LATE JOSEPH LEE FOR PAYMENT OF HIS ESTATE/FUNDS HE LEFT BEHIND WITH OUR BANK, SINCE, AFTER HIS DEATH 5/1/07,
HOWEVER ALL MY EFFORTS TRACES ABORTIVE, THAT IS THE MAIN REASON I AM WRITING YOU THIS TO ASK FOR YOUR COOPERATION FOR US TO CLAIM THIS MONEY,
SINCE HE WAS A CITIZEN/NATIONALITY OF YOUR COUNTRY AND YOU ARE OF THE SAME COUNTRY. I ONLY HAVE TO APPROVE YOU, THIS FUND WILL BE PAY TO YOU AS
THE BENEFICIARY WE ARE TO SHARE THIS MONEY BETWEEN OURSELVES (YOU AND I) IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS OFFER YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME THROUGH
THIS EMAIL ADDRESS ONLY :( JOARTHUR@W.CN ).

FOR DETAIL OF THIS TRANSACTION AND PROCEDURE, PLS DO FORWARD ME YOUR
FULL NAME:
ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBER:
COMPANY NAME OR OCCUPATION:

HESE INFO ARE VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS TRANSACTION. NOTE THAT THIS IS RISK FREE BUSINESS, THIS TRANSACTION WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY THERE IS INTEREST FROM YOU.

SINCERELY YOURS,

ARTHUR JOHNSON

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