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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: Mrs Ann Johnson <simone.bonetto@alice.it>
Reply-To: westernu50@aol.com
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2013 12:16:29 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: The first $6000.00 was sent today

The sum of $3.2 million was approved in your name for compensation as a scam
Victim, from random selection done by united nation global economic recovery
Program to assist victims who lost funds to Africans con artists. And will be
Paying in $6000 daily via western union until the principal amount is paid you
Complete, contact the agent with (407-615-6681) (w.unionoffice2@aol.com) with
your
Address and cell phone number.

Anti-fraud resources: