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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: "Rev.Mike Wilfred" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <msther2000@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Sep 2013 07:51:27 -0700
Subject: My Dear God Bless you, there is an error in your bank account

My Dear God Bless you, the Federal Government of Nigeria have instructed the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) to release your 2010 to 2012 interest of (US$500,000.00) being yielded from your Inheritance/contract fund. This morning we wanted  to transfer the fund to the bank account we saw in your payment file but the transfer went error which means there is mistake in the bank account. Therefore you are advice to resend your bank account details/your full contact immediately you receive this massage to enable us commence your transfer process.
More so you are hereby warned to stop dealing and abetting with those fraudsters that contacting you in respect of any transfer because no bank has any right to transfer any foreign payment without our approval.
 
Remain Bless,
Rev. Mike Wilfred,
+234-8182903764 calls me immediately.

Anti-fraud resources: