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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: "Barr. Houska Richard" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <houskarich@e-mail.ua>
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 19:36:20 +0100
Subject: TO THE RIGHTFULL OWNER OF THIS EMAIL

Good Day,
 
I am Houska Richard, an attorney at law here in Lome Togo West Africa. A deceased client of mine, that shares the same last name as yours died as the result of a heart-related condition on March 12th 2005. His heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the tsunami disaster on the 26th December 2004 in Sumatra Indonesia . And in the record there is no known successor to this deposit of the deceased who died without a will.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake. I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at Nine Million Dollars is lodged.
 
 
The bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated. I will like you to acknowledge the receipt of this email as soon as possible via my private email And treat with absolute confidentiality and sincerity. I look forward to your quick reply.call me as soon as you get this mail.Due to the urgency of this inheritance claim and mandate given to me by my late client bank to locate and present to them the bonafide next of kin to their deceased customer which is about to expire, I would appreciate if you can first of all provide me with your information enlisted below so that I can use it
to procure a legal document that will enable you claim the deposit funds .
 
The information are as follows:
 
1. Your full names.
 
2. Nationality/Country.
 
3. Resident Address.
 
4. Cell Phone and Fax Numbers.
 
5. Age.
 
6. Proffession.
 
Please send me these information as soon as possible to enable this claim commence.
 
Best regards,
 
Barr. Houska Richard

Anti-fraud resources: