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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: "Gen. Adams Peterson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <adame.peterson@live.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2013 08:23:31 +0200
Subject: Kindly Reply Urgently.

Dear Sir,
 
 
I believe this is the safest means i can transmit a vital information like this to you, so i apologize for interfering into your privacy or contacting you via this means of communication. Please accepts my sincere apology if my proposal disregards your moral ethics. I m Gen. ADAMS PETERSON, Head of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Customs Services. It is my urgent need for a foreign partner that prompted me to contact you.
 
I have contacted you to assist me in receiving an Asset/Capital value worth of $45,000,000.00 (FORTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) left behind by a late property magnate (Name withheld due for security reasons), before his fund gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by SECURITY company where the funds are deposited and still visible right now (http://www.leedsecurities.com). As the head of Ghana customs, the security company has issued me a notice to provide the next of Kin urgently or have the said funds confiscated or moved to reserve account within the next thirty one Official working days. However, because of the international financial crises, a lot of reform has been going on within the financial system of Ghana, which includes the new law on succession/ heir claims which indicates a duration in which such inheritance could be tolerated.
 
 
I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives of the deceased in your country for some time now. It is on this note i seek your consent to present you as the Next of kin, as the Law doesn’t allow me to receive the money personally without Presenting someone from your country, so that the the fund can be released to you. Note that on the recipient of your positive response, we shall then discuss the ratio and modalities for delivery/transfer of the funds to you. All the necessary information and legal documents to back up this claim are available, therefore you need not worry or panic for any reason whatsoever.
 
This delivery is urgent and as soon as i hear from you, i will give you details on how we can achieve this successfully without any problem. Thanks for your understanding, as i look forward to receiving your reply.
 
 
Regards,
Gen. Adams Peterson
My Email:Adame.peterson@live.com
HEAD OF CUSTOMS

Anti-fraud resources: