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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: "Standard Chartered Bank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <scbghanaltd@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2012 02:47:33 -0000
Subject: Confirm this authenticity of this information.

Dear valued Customer,
 
I am James Wright (Customer Service officer) Standard Chartered Bank Ghana. We received instruction from our financial authorities here in Ghana to remit the contractual/inheritance sum of $1.9m to you. While we are processing your payment file, it was discovered that your fund beneficiary name has been changed and replaced. As a matter of the change, the bank's remittance director ordered that we stop the payment until we get a mandate from you authenticating this change. If you are aware of this development, please kindly confirm to us the name of the new beneficiary but if not please furnish us with the following information to enable verify and update our data here before subsequent processing and transfer of your fund.
 
Full Name: 
Full Address: 
Date Of Birth:
Sex:
Nationality:  
Country of residence: 
Marital Status: 
Occupation: 
Company(If any):
Position:
Telephone:  
Mobile telephone:  
Fax number:  
Alternative Email:
Home Equity (if any):
Any Valid means of Identification(scan copy):
Your identification Number:
Name of your next of kin:
Address of your next of  Kin:
 
Upon the receipt of the aforementioned information, we will swing into action to process and remit your fund without further delay. We appeal to you to remain calm while we do our best to make sure that your fund is transfer  to you.
 
Your quick response to this mail will be highly appreciated.
 
Sincerely,
James Wright.
Customer Service officer.
+233 573 069 400 (24/7)
 

Anti-fraud resources: