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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: "Richard Berg" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <richardberg08@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:55:48 -0800
Subject: Good Day Sir/Madam

From The Desk Of Richard Berg
International Remittance & Audit Department,
Email:richard_berg@live.com
Barclays Bank UK London Plc.

Attention : Sir/Madam

I would like to introduce myself formally as Richard Berg, an employee of Barclays Bank UK London. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. In Jenuary 2001, a 41-year-old gold mining magnate named BRETT KEBBLE made a numbered-time (fixed deposit) for twelve calendar months valued at (US$ 12.5 Million) in a domiciliary account in my branch which he (BRETT KEBBLE) launched under my management.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification of account status to his forwarding address but got no reply, after two months, we sent a reminder of same letter, and finally we discovered from his contact employers, Mahouene Kizimou, a South Africans based here in UK London that BRETT CABBLE was gunned down in 2005, shortly after leaving his Johannesburg home. Driving his Mercedes-Benz to a party, BRETT KEBBLE was stopped and shot seven times at close range — in the head, neck and arm. Please click and read the website below:

( http://business.theage.com.au/business/gold-and-guns-how-a-south-african-murder-led-to-perth-20080601-2khs.html )

After further investigation, I found out that he did not leave a will and all attempts to trace his kin were fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that he did not declare any next of kin in all his official documents,
including his bank deposit papers.

This sum of US$12,500,000.00 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars), is still floating in our bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. After these several attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in securing this money before they are confiscated or declared unserviceable by my bank.
It is therefore, upon discovery that I decided to make business with you and release the money to you as next of kin or relation to the deceased for safekeeping and Subsequent disbursement, since nobody is coming for it and I do not want this money go back into Government's account as unclaimed bill.

Note that it does not necessarily matter, whether you are biologically related to the deceased or not. As you may bear with me, a next of kin maybe a parent,sister, brother, close relative, associate, friend or even a wellwisher. Therefore, whether you are related to him or not is never a barrier to realizing the transaction. The important thing is that I have every detailed information regarding the said Account (investment) and the deceased also.for security reason mail me via my private email address ( richardberg09@gmail.com)

This transaction is aimed at investing in a blue chip company in your country or any other country under a joint business partnership with you. However, if you want certain percentage of the deposit for your involvement, please do let me know so that we negotiate on your share.

Once the deposit is secured, thereafter, I will visit your country, for the investment thereof. Note, that every arrangement has been put in place for asmooth and successful transaction.

I expect a positive response from you soon, so that I can advice you on how to commence.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Berg.

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