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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 MAXSWELL EKONG <maxswellekong@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2010 04:00:41 +0200
Subject: My Dear Friend

My Dear Friend
 
Please I want you to read this mail very carefully and I must apologize for bagging this message into your mail box without knowing me due to the urgency and confidential of this issue and I know that this message will come to you as a surprise, please this is not a joke and I will not like you to joke with it. I am Mr. Maxswell Maurice Ekong an Assistant Manager in banking institution Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. I Hoped that you will not expose or betray this trust and confident that I am about to establish with you for the mutual benefit of me and you.
 
This fund belong to late Dr. George W. Brumley from (Atlanta) in USA he has gold miner and a contract here, he happen to be one of the victim in a plane crash 2003 at Mount Kenya with his wife. I need your moral, full support financially to transfer the balance sum of (US$15.3M) into your account within 14 working days. This money has been here for years in our Bank without claim due to the owner of this fund died along with his entire family.
 
I want you stand as the nearest person or next of kin to the deceased customer to claim the money I made the investigation before contacting you, I will send some documents that will back you up as the next of kin. I shall be directing you as it progress I don't want the money to go into our Bank re-sever account as abandoned fund, I will come over to your country or give you another account where you shall transfer my share. This is 50/50 business deal because of your account and support also this matter should be a confidential between you and me, delete it if you are not interested.
 
Upon the receipt of your reply and indication of your capability, I will send to you a draft text of application to apply for the fund and I don't want anyone here in the bank to know my involvement during the process otherwise I will lost my job face the tribunal I am trusting in you.  Looking forward to hear from you as soon as possible for further information.
 
PLEASE DON'T BE OFFENDED STATE YOUR INFORMATION BELOW TO KNOW YOUR CAPABILITY OF HANDLING THIS DEAL.
 
1. FULL NAME..........
2. TELEPHONE NUMBERS.......
3. YOUR AGE......
4. YOUR SEX.........
5. YOUR OCCUPATION........
6. YOUR COUNTRY AND CITY......
7. YOUR HOME ADDRESS..........
8. MARITAL STATUS............
 
My Regards
Mr Maxswell Maurice Ekong

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