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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: "Mr. Peter Atta" <atapeter01@att.net>
Reply-To: <atapeter208@yahoo.cn>
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2010 16:35:34 -0700
Subject: Fund Transfer Negotiation As Next Of Kin

Mail from Mr Peter Atta,
Greetings to you

I am Mr. Peter Atta, The regional manager of my bank, Takoradi branch, in western region of Ghana, and I believe it is only a day people meet and become great friends/ business partners. On December 30th 2002, one of our esteemed clients made a numbered time Fixed Deposit, belonging to a deceased Mr. Andrew who died with his wife and their only daughter in a plane crash and the fund has been dormant in his account with our Bank without any claim of the fund in my branch which I am his Accounts officer.

Upon maturity, we sent a usual notice to his forwarding address but got no answer. After 3 months, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his past employees he was aboard the, Boeing 727 Beirut-bound charter Jet which crashed in Benin Republic during takeoff on December 26th 2003, see the below link for more news about the air crash: www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/ After many years and several inquisitions, No one would ever come onward to claim this money and as such i will like to present you as the NEXT of KIN to our dead client since the both of you share the same LAST NAME. This fund was meant for a short term investment in my country unfortunately the beneficiary died untimely. if you accept to assist me, I will place your name as the person who has the right to claim the fund which will enable our bank issue you fund investment document to avoid your government or any body to question the source of the fund during the process of the transfer
.

It is going to be a Bank-to-Bank transfer and I need to assure you that there are no risks involved in this business. The transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. I want you to assured me of your capability of handling this transfer with trust.

Please keep this proposal. top secret for yourself. And reply me urgent for more details on what you will do.

Trusting to hear from you immediately.

Regards,
Peter Atta.

Anti-fraud resources: