419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "=?utf-8?b?RHIuIFN0ZXZlbiBCaXJjaGZpZWxk?="
<birchfield@america-army.net>
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 10:03:43 -0500
Subject: Very Important

Hello Friend,

I want to confide on you and i hope top secret between us. I'm a surgeon with 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team here in Afghanistan, we are providing medical training for our Afghanistan partners since all US Military will be pulling out of Afghanistan by 2014. Based on the USA legislative and executive decision of pulling our troop out of here, I have decided to contact you for this business opportunity and relationship. I want to inform you that I have in my possession the sum of $15 Million United State Dollars, which I got from crude oil deals in Iraq. I deposited this money with a SECURITY COMPANY informing them that I am making contact for the real owner of the money and it is under my power to approve the beneficiary.

I want to invest the money in a good business as soon as my service here ends due to my age, anyway you will advice me as a friend and a business partner on that since I am not a business person. I am solely interested in making a life for my 2 kids and therefore I shall require the service of a person who is trustworthy and sincere and I am going to make you the beneficiary of the money and allowing you to invest for my Kids in the event anything happens to me here. I have a 100% authentic means of transferring the money through diplomatic courier service. I just need your acceptance and all is done.

If you accept, I will put you forward as the beneficiary of the funds and transfer the money to you because as a uniformed person I cannot be parading such an amount so I need to present someone as the beneficiary. I am writing from a private email account so reply to this email as soon as you can. If you are interested, then let me know so we can proceed as time is very important to me. In less than 5 days, the money should have been in your position and I will come over when am done here. I will give to you 30% of the sum and 70% is for me because I know that nothing goes for nothing, I hope I am been fair to you for your help

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