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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. Thomson Smith" <info@smith.net>
Reply-To: mr.thomsonsmith@yahoo.com.ph
Date: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 06:46:39 +0300
Subject: Confidential info!!



STRICTLY PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

I am MR. Thomson Smith , Director Project Implementation with South African
Anglo-Gold Ashanti in Johannesburg and a member of the Contract Tenders Board
(CTB) of the above corporation.

Your esteemed address was reliably introduced to me at the South African
Chamber of Commerce and Industry in my search for a reliable
individual/company
who can handle a strictly confidential transaction, which involves the
transfer
of a reasonable sum of money to a foreign account. The amount of money
involved
is US$50, 000, 000, 00 (FIFTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) only.

This money has already been extracted from various contracts awarded by this
corporation, as a result of over-invoicing masterminded by the concerned
officials involved, this has been drafted to represent the final payment for a
contract that has been executed to this corporation some years back. The money
is now floating in the suspense account of the South Africa Reserve Bank
awaiting claim by any foreign partner which status we now want you to resume.

Now is the optimum period to consummate this fund, following the presidential
directive to all ministries to settle all outstanding debts owed to both local
and foreign contractors? In my last meeting with the Officials
involved, it was
unanimously agreed that 40% of the total sum will be given to you, 50% will be
for us while 10% will be use to reimburse the expenses that will be
incurred in
the processing of this transfer.

I assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free as we have
concluded every
arrangement to protect the interest of everyone involved, Likewise all
modalities for the successful transfer of this fund have been worked out with
Department of Finance and the South Africa Reserve Bank to facilitate the
remittance of this fund to your designated account within 72 hours after your
claim has been approved.

However, I would want to believe that you are honest enough and will not raise
any misgiving attitude in any aspect of the transaction, more
importantly, that
you will keep this transaction very confidential so as not to tarnish the
confidence reposed on these officials by the Government of South Africa. If
this proposal is of interest to you, then kindly contact me with above
telephone number first before sending email. Please treat this information as
confidential.

Best Regards
MR. Thomson Smith

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