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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: "Ken E. Mozia" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kenassociates1@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:10:37 -0700
Subject: Hi: Please Read (Very Important Information)

Ken E. Mozia & Co
 
Dearest,
 
Before I proceed I must first apologize for this unsolicited mail to you, I am aware that this is certainly not a conventional way of approach to establish a
 
relationship of trust,
 
I am Ken E. Mozia; I am the Personal Attorney to Engr. Tom Han.  Who used to work with Agip Oil Company in Nigeria as a foreign expert? On the 16th of June 2005, he
 
and his wife including their three children were involved in a car accident along Lokoja Express way.
 
Unfortunately, they all lost their lives in the event of the accident. Since then I have made several inquiries at the Embassy to locate any of my client’s relatives,
 
which has also proved unsuccessful. After several  unsuccessful attempts, I  decided to trace his relatives  over the Internet to locate  any  member of his family but
 
to no avail, hence,  I contacted you to assist in  repatriating the money left  behind by  my client in a Bank.
 
Fortunately, the Finance House (BANK)  where the deceased deposited  the US$17 Million (seventeen  Million United States  Dollars  only) knows me very well and has ask
 
me to present  some one to claim the fund  left by my late client as  they  all know me as  his personal attorney.
 
Consequently, the Bank has issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin to claim the US$17 Million (seventeen Million United States Dollars only) in their custody
 
within the next ten official working days.
 
Since I have been unsuccessful  in locating the relatives for  over the years now, I seek  your consent to present  you as  the next of kin of the deceased to claim
 
the fund  as the Next of Kin to him so  that the fund will be   transferred to your account by  the Bank.
 
Upon receipt of the fund, I will come over to your country to meet with you for the disbursement of the fund and   then you and I will share the money in this order:
 
60% will be for me, 40% will be for you. I have all the necessary legal documents that can back our claim we may make with the Bank.
 
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be   executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect
 
you from any breach of the law.
 
Please get in touch with me through my alternative email address: (kensolicitor@yahoo.co.jp) for further details.
 
Yours Sincerely.
 
Ken E. Mozia Esq)
Principal Attorney.
 

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