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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: "PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE 10 DOWNING STREET," <officedesk----0001@att.net>
Reply-To: mrjamesclark10@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2011 04:36:58 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: PAYMENT CODE NUMBER 811




PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
10 DOWNING STREET,
LONDON, SW1A 2AA.
A.T.M. CARD PAYMENT UNIT
LONDON UK.
 
 RE: PAYMENT CODE NUMBER 811
 
SEQUEL TO THE TAKING OVER OF THE NEW BRITISH PRIME MINISTER MR DAVID CAMERON, BE INFORMED THAT HE HAS INSTRUCTED THAT ALL OUT STANDING FOREIGN DEBT AC RUING FROM INHERITANCE FUNDS,FUNDS TRAPPED IN LOCAL AND FOREIGN BANKS, SCAM VICTIMS AND ITS ASSOCIATED CASES SHOULD BE COMPENSATED IMMEDIATELY THROUGH THIS OFFICE.
 
YOUR PAYMENT HAVE LONG BEEN MONITORED AND AS AT TODAY , WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT YOU WERE MISLEAD BY SOME OFFICERS WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF YOUR SINCERE PURSUIT TO YOUR FUND CLAIMS TO DEMANDING ONE PAYMENT AFTER ANOTHER FROM YOU INSTEAD OF RELEASING YOUR FUND TO YOU. THIS RESOLUTION WAS PASSED FOR REPAYMENT OF FUNDS TO THE AFFECTED VICTIMS UPON HIS RESUMPTION OF OFFICE HENCE WE HAVE RECALLED BACK YOUR PAYMENT FILE TO THIS OFFICE AND IT IS NOW ON MY DESK AS I AM WRITING THIS MESSAGE TO YOU .
 
YOU ARE WARNED TO STOP FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANYBODY IN RESPECT OF YOUR PAYMENT WITH EFFECT FROM TODAY IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY . YOUR PAYMENT FILE IS RIGHT HERE WITH US AND WE ARE SET TO COMPLETE YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY AS INSTRUCTED BY PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON AND THE BRITISH TREASURY, WHO HAS APPROVED THE SUM OF £1 BILLION DOLLARS ONLY, TO BE SHARED AMONG THE AFFECTED SCAM VICTIMS AROUND THE GLOBE.
 
NOTE THAT WE HAVE BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT ($500,000.00) AS A COMPENSATION PAYMENT TO YOU FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2011 . IF YOU WILL LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND THIS WEEK LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY BY CONTACTING ME UPON THE RECEIPT OF THIS MAIL WITH THE FOLLOWING
 
INFORMATION:
NAMES:
ADDRESS:
SEX:
AGE:
OCCUPATION:
YOUR PHONE NUMBER:
 
WHILE WE ADVISE YOU TO STOP FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANYBODY WITH EFFECT FROM TODAY NO MATTER WHAT THE PERSON MIGHT CLAIM TO BE SO THAT YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY TO IMPOSTORS.
 
WE HEREBY ISSUE YOU OUR CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH IS (CODE NUMBER 811) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING US BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT BECAUSE OF IMPOSTORS.
 
YOURS SINCERELY,
 
MR. JAMES CLARK.

Anti-fraud resources: