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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: Sonia Richard <rchson22@msn.com>
Reply-To: richsonia21@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2012 10:42:45 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Good day dearest one




Sonia Richard
Abidjan, Ivory Coast , West Africa.
Appeal for urgent & confidential assistance.
 
Good day dearest one

I know you will not find my proposal email as an embarrassement to you as we do not know each other for the first time, It is the help of God after my fasting and prayers i could be able to found your email contact and i hope you will understand the reason why i am contacting you this moment, My name is Sonia Richard; I am the only daughter of my late parents. My parents were very wealthy cocoa farmers and also the former administrative director of solid minerals in agricultural sector here in Ivory Coast . My mother died in an automobile accident on August 15 1999 alongside with my elder brother Kenneth and my little brother Anthony. My father was recently poisoned to death by his business associates during one of their business meeting in Brussels Belgium .
 
Before the death of my father on March 2012 in a private hospital here in my country he secretly called me on his bed side and told me that he has the sum of seven million, five hundred thousand united state dollars (US$7.5M) left in fixed / suspense account in one of the prime bank here in Ivory Coast, that he used my name as his only daughter for the next of Kin in depositing of the fund. He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates in collaboration with our family relatives.
 
Due to the incessant political instability in Ivory Coast and the consequent threats from my family relatives and others; my late father advised that I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose such as real estate or hotel management.
 
 Please, I am honorably seeking your assistance in the following ways:
 
(1) to provide a good bank account into which this money would be transferred to:
 
(2) to serve as a guardian of this fund since I am still a girl of only 21 years old.
 
(3) to make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my education and also to secure a resident permit in your country.
 
As soon as I receive your urgent reply indicating your interest to assist me to successfully transfer the money into an account in your country, I will give you all the necessary information you may require to proceed towards transferring the money. Finally, I am willing to offer you 15% of the total money, i know you may  have such money but i'm giving it to you as pay back and mode of compensation for your effort for assisting me with this humble request as I believe that this transaction would be concluded within seven (7) days you signify your interest to assist me.
 
Anticipating hearing from you urgently.
 
Thanks and God bless.
 
Yours Sincerely,
Sonia Richard.

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