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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: "Mark Newman." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mark-newman68@live.com>
Date: Mon, 23 May 2011 13:03:07 -0700
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam.


Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Mark Newman, I am a citizen of Zimbabwe and a member of the presidential Security Advisory Council (P.S.A.C.). Your surprise when you receive this mail will be quite understandable since we did not know each other prior to this time.

Sometime last year, I and a military colleague were detailed by President Robert Mugabe to travel to South Africa covertly, in order to see to the conclusion of an "Arms / Ammunition" supply deal with some private arms suppliers in South Africa in preparation against the oppostion MDC polictical party.

Prior to the said trip to South Africa for negotiations and payment, we had diplomatically
transported the sum of U.S.$35 Million in cash into South Africa and arranged for the safe keeping of the total sum in two trenches of U.S.$18Million and U.S.$17 Million, awaiting the conclusion of negotiations and delivery plans, before payment is made in cash as agreed, to keep the entire transaction highly secret, in order to avoid international out cry due to President Mugabe’s political and human rights violation records, including his killing ejection of white farmers/their black supporters from their farm lands, not to mention the gross human rights violations taking place in Zimbabwe.

We secretly used the services of a diplomat to lift the fund somewhere in South East Asia where it was deposited in a private security firm awaiting our further instructions. We did this because we are against our presidents leadership tactics and all the suffering it has caused our people in Zimbabwe, as a way of spiting our president and equally securing our lives/future, we decided to divert the money meant for the covert purchase of arm/ammunition to our personal use.

Intelligence reports reaching us has made us aware that our president's thugs are busy searching for us and our respective families, however, we are keeping a low profile because we have to distance ourselves from the money until we are able to identify a reliable and willing partner, preferably, a neutral foreigner, who could assist us to invest the funds.

For this assistance, we are willing to discuss terms of remuneration with you, provided you will front for us in all investments in your country after you have secured the funds on our behalf.

We also need to stress that for security reasons, you should keep this communication strictly confidential, irrespective your decision, i.e. to be or not to be.

We are thanking you in anticipation of your understanding and co-operation. Further details will revealed to you on receipt of your favorable response.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Newman.
mark-newman68@live.com

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