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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: "Austin Ranney" <austinranny@videobank.it>
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 2010 03:09:47 +0600
Subject: From: Mr.Austin Ranney

From: Mr.Austin Ranney.
Address: #52 Mitchley Close London N13 8HG
Occupations: External Auditor

very Important.
Do accept my sincere apologies if my mail does not meet your personal
ethics although, I wish to use this medium to get in touch with you
first because it's fastest means. I am an extenal auditor of a well
known Bank here in the United Kingdom.

In one of our periodic auditing I discorved a dormant accounts with
holding balance of 36,759,000.00 (THIRTY SIX MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED AND
FIFTY NINE THOUSAND BRITISH POUNDS) which has not been operated for
years. From my investigations and confirmations, the owner of this
account, a foreigner by name Mr. Rafik Hariri.

Rafik Bahaa Edine Hariri (November 1, 1944 - February 14, 2005),
married to Nazek Audi Hariri, was a Lebanese self-made millionaire and
business tycoon, and was five times Prime Minister of Lebanon
(1992-1998 and 2000-2004) before his last resignation from office on
October 20, 2004. The late Rafik Hariri died on February 14, 2005 when
explosives equivalent to around 300 kg of C4 were detonated as his
motorcade drove past the Saint George Hotel In the Lebanese capital.

and since then nobody has done anything as egards the claiming of this
money because he has no family members who are aware of the existence
of neither the account nor the funds. I have secretly discussed this
matter with a top senior minister official of the federal ministry of
finance here and we have agreed to find a reliable foreign partner to
deal with us, although due to his possition he did not want to take
active part but as soon as you follow my instructions everything will
be successfull because we will be working hand in hand with him.

We thus propose to do business with you,standing in as the next of kin
of these funds from the deceased and after due legel processes have
been followed the fund will be released to your account without delay
and we will use it for investment and to assist the less privelaged in
the society because if we left the fund with the government it will be
fortified for nothing and will be used to suppress the poor masses in
the society. This
transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is
legitimate and does not originate from drug, money laundry, terrorism
or any other illegal act.

So you should provide me with your correct account detail where you
will like the fund to be transferred even an empty account is ok. At
the conclussion of the transfer you will take 35%,5% will be for any
expenses both parties incurred in the process of this business and the
remaining 60% will be for me. As soon as I hear from you and upon your
strong assurance that you will not let me down once the fund goes into
your account I will then start the processing of the transfer of the
fund to your account without further delay.

You should send the a/c information as stated below.......together
with your telephone nos. both Home, Office & Cell phone for easier &
faster communication.

Bank Name.......................
Bank Address......................
A/C Name.............................
A/C Number.............................
Swift Code...............................
Your Telephone............................
Routing Number..............................
State & Country...............................

I look forward to hear from you as soon as possible if you are
interested.

Regards,

Mr. Austin Ranney.

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