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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. JOHN LUCAS." (may be fake)
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2012 16:15:02 +0530
Subject: VERY URGENT MESSAGE, GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY.

 
FROM MR. JOHN LUCAS.
BILL AND EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT,
CUSTODIAN BANK PLC (UK),
BRANCH OFFICES,36-38 LEADENHALL
STREET LONDON EC3A 1AT UNITED KINGDOM.
              
REMITTANCE OF US$6.5;MILLION
 
CONFIDENTIAL IS THE CASE. VERY URGENT ATTENTION.
 
Please i want you to read this letter very carefully and i must apologize for bringing this message into your mail box without any formal introduction due to the urgency and confidential of this issue and i know that this message will come to you as a surprise, Pls this is not a joke and i will not like you to jeopardise with it.
 
My Urgent need for a foreign partner that made me to contact you for this legal transaction. I am a banker by profession from London United Kingdom, and currently holding the post of director Auditing and accounting unit of the bank.
 
I have the opportunity of transferring the left over Funds ($6.5 million) of one of my bank clients who died Along with his entire family in a plane crash on December 6 2003. please go through the website.
 
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/859479.stm
 
And I don't want the money to go into our Bank treasury account as an unclaim fund. So this is the reason why i contacted you so that our bank will release this money to you as the next of kin to the deceased customer. Please I would like you to keep this proposal as top secret. And the sharing of this fund we be 60% for me then  40% for you .
 
From banking experience it will take up to seven ( 7) working days to conclude this transfer. I sincerely need your help because this might be my first and last opportunity of hitting big money. I also would want you to treat this affair as both urgent, top secret and confidential. I want you to also know that this transaction will involve some expenses which will be shared among both of us.
 
This payment will be effected through Swift Telegraphic Transfer.
 
Your Urgent response is needed for immediatey so that i can direct you how to obtain the Funds Genuine Clearance to enable the bank transfer the $6.5 million USA dollars in your receiving bank account.
(FILL THIS FORM BELLOW PLEASE AND RESEND IT TO ME).
 
 
Your Name..................................
 
Your Home Addresses.................
 
City..........................................
 
Country...................................
 
Home Telephone....................
 
Private Telephone.................
 
Marital Status.....................
 
Age.....................................
 
Occupation........................
 
Religion...........................
 
YOUR PRIVATE E-MAIL ADDRESS.....................
 
International Passport or ID card..........................
 
 
Thank you.Greetings to you and your family.
 
Mr.John Lucas
Email: www.john_lucas@hotmail.com
Call Phone Number ( +44 701 426 2787
 
 

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