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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. Williams Hills" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.williams_hills@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 05:47:02 +0200
Subject: Re: I am waiting your response

From: Mr.William Hills
Mobile: +44792423257
 
REF:  Fund Inheritance
 
Hello,
 
I apologize if the contents here under are contrary to your moral ethics, but please treat it with absolute secrecy and personal courtesy. I am Mr.William Hills an Auditor in a commercial Bank, in the process of auditing our bank Accounts this quarter, I and one of my colleagues recently discovered that there is a dormant account valued at the sum? GBP:6,000,000.00 (Six Million British Pound Sterling) and after due verification of this account we Discovered that the account owner is late and that is why the account has Been dormant and as such a GBP:6,000,000.00 British pounds has been lying in the bank Unclaimed.
 
The idea of presenting a foreigner to act as his next of kin came into our Mind, as you know the said deceased is a foreigner as well. Hence, that is how and why we have contacted you to present you as his next of kin, so That the GBP:6,000,000.00 will be paid to you and we can both disburse the Fund according to the percentage we will agree upon.
 
In view of this, I am seeking for your co-operation and understanding to stand as the next of kin to our deceased customer, to enable us claim the Fund from my bank. Hence, if this proposal is "OK" by you and you do not wish to take undue advantage of my trust, then I hope to bestow on you. Please kindly get back to me immediately.
 
On getting your response, we shall agree on the percentage ration on which We shall disburse the GBP:6,000,000.00 between us, as we intend to invest Part of our own share in real estate or any lucrative business in your Country, and we would appreciate if you can put us in the right part where We can invest our own share in your country. I will not contact any person or company until I hear from you, so as to enable me decides on what to do next.
 
Be rest assured that this business is 100% risk free.
 
We wait for your prompt response.
 
Best Regards;
 
Mr.William Hills
Mobile: +44792423257
 
NB: PLEASE NOTE THAT IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU ARE NOT RELATED TO MY LATE CLIENT OR NOT; THE FUND WILL STILL BE PAID TO YOU, SINCE I AM PRESENTING YOU AS HIS NEXT OF KIN

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