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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. Paddy Matata" <foyy.foy@gmail.com>
Reply-To: paddy.matata@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2011 23:04:22 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Greetings to you & your Family




Greetings to you & your Family

 
Date:04/11/2011/
Good day friend,


I’m Mr. Paddy Matata  I got your contact from the foreign affairs of Burkina - Faso. I need your assistance to transfer the sum of (usd7.2)seven million, two hundred thousand United State dollars into a foreign account.


This fund belonging to a deceased customer of this bank as the fund has been lying in suspense account without anybody coming to put claim over the money since the account owner late Mr. Elian Diego who was involved in the died on march11th2004 at Madrid train attack, with his family  during their vacation journey.


Upon this discovery I decided to contact you so that the fund will be release to you as the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety. The banking rules hereon 20th January 2011 stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after one year, the money will be transferred into the bank treasury as unclaimed fund, since nobody is coming for it and I don't want this money to go into the bank treasury as unclaimed bill.


Therefore, I am soliciting for your assistance to come forward as the next of kin. I have agreed that 40% of this money will be for you as the beneficiary respect of the provision of your account and service rendered, 55% will be for me while 5%will be for expenses incurred during the whole process of this transaction.


Then if the money transferred to your account from this bank, I will proceed immediately to your country for the sharing of the funds. I waited to hear from you as soon as possible.  


Thanks,
Mr.Paddy Matata.
Auditing and accounting section,
Bank ofAfrica (Boa) Ouagadougou Burkina-Faso

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