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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: frank adams <frank.adams@adinet.com.uy>
Reply-To: frankadams0001@rocketmail.com
Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2010 16:26:11 +0200
Subject: From Hon'Dr Frank Adams,


From Hon'Dr Frank Adams,

I am 'Dr Frank Adams An an account officer to Mr Andreas Schranner a German who worked at Mount Resources Ltd, a geologist by profession who died in AF4590 crash since 2000 along side with his entire family (wife Maria, their daughter Andrea Eich, her husband Christian, and their children Katharina 8, and Maximilian 10. Please log on here to see for your self, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

I decided to contact you purely on the personal conviction of trust and confidence to assist in distributing the funds left behind by my client. The deceased had a deposit (GP 10 Million) which I helped him to open in one of the leading banks here in Burkina Faso two years before his death. Being his attorney here, his Bank has issued me a notice to provide his next of kin or beneficiary, otherwise the account would be confiscated since nobody has come forward to lay claims on the money since his death.

My search for his relative was not successful and my proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as a beneficiary of my client, so that the proceeds of this account could be paid to you and we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage.
All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's beneficiary will be provided, All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. And to gave me my own share as at when due and not to site on the fund when the money enters into your account.

This transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law if this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology.

I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to keep this matter extraordinary confidential, whatever your decisions are I await your prompt response.

Best regards,
Hon'Dr Frank Adams

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