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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: ANDERSON JANE <a.jane9@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:11:38 -0700
Subject: Your long overdue Payment.

Good day
Your long overdue Payment.

Very Urgent Attention:

I saw your name (in the Central Computer among the list of unpaid
contractors, inheritance next of kin and lotto beneficiaries that was
originated from Africa, Europe, Asia plus Middle east, Americans) among the
list of individuals and companies that your unpaid fund has been approved.

Your name appeared among the beneficiaries, who will receive a part-payment
of your contractual sum and has been approved already for months. You are
requested to get back to me for more direction and instruction on how to
receive your fund.

However, we received an email from one Mr. Robert Walter who told us that he
is your next of kin and that you died in a car accident last week. He has
also submitted his account for us to transfer the fund to him including his
International passport; we want to hear from you before we can make the
transfer to confirm if you are dead or not.

Once again, I apologize to you on behalf Of IMF (International Monetary
Fund) *www.imf.org* <http://www.imf.org/>

Failure to pay your funds in time, which according to records in the system
had been long overdue.

Please reply through my private Information:

Yours Sincerely,

Jane Anderson (Mrs.)
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)
OVERDUE PAYMENT RELEASE HEAD QUATERS

Anti-fraud resources: