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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: "Mr.John Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnwilliams042@globomail.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:57:21 -0000
Subject: From John Williams

Good Day,
 
I have a business proposal in the tune of USD$4.850m, (Four Million eight hundred and fifty Thousand United States Dollars only) and after the successful transfer; we shall share in the ratio of 30% for you and 65% for me, while 5% will be mapped out for the settlement of any expenses we made during the course of transfer, though I don't think there will be any expenses, but just in case if any.
 
My name is FROM: Mr.John Williams, I'm the Regional Manager of International Commercial Bank of Ghana Ltd, as the regional manager of this bank, it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end of each bank business year.
 
During my 2011 financial report to my bank head office, I discovered that my branch in which I am the manager made four million eight hundred and fifty thousand united state dollars($4,850,000.00) which my head office are not aware of and will never be aware of it,and I have placed this funds on escrow call account with no beneficiary name hence I decided to contact you to stand and claim the fund as the owner who made the deposit with my branch so that the bank will order the transfer to your account.
 
If you are interested, please contact me through my private email (johnwilliams043@globomail.com) so we can commence on all arrangements and I Will give you more information on how we would handle this project.
Please treat this business with utmost confidentiality and send me the Following information:
 
(1) Full names:
(2) Private phone number:
(3) Current residential address:
(4) Occupation:
(5) Age and Sex:
 
Best Regards and God bless you
Mr.John Williams.

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