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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: MR WILLIAM CHARLES <william2charles@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2014 09:35:16 +0200
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam


From: Mr William Charles
Tel: +27 730 060 446
E-mail: william3charles@gmail.com
5 Dover Street, Johannesburg - South Africa

Dear Sir/Madam

With due respect, trust and humanity, I write to you this proposal, I found
your contact while I was doing a private researching in the Internet for a
reliable and capable foreign partner that will assist my family.

I am Mr William Charles, the son of Late Mr Anderson Charles who was a
member of the farmer’s co-operation in Zimbabwe. My father was among the
few rich black farmers that were murdered in cold blood by the President
Robert Mugabe’s administration during the land dispute that just happened
in Zimbabwe.

After the death of my father, we decided to move out from Zimbabwe to South
Africa for our inheritance, which was deposited by my late father in
Security company and the amount involved is US$20,000,000,00 (Twenty
Million United States Dollars).

This money was made for the purchasing of machinery and chemicals for our
new farm establishment in Swaziland, we're presently living in South Africa
as a refugees (asylum seeker) and the law of Republic South Africa does not
permit us to operate or open any bank account here in South Africa or be
involve in any financial transaction, because of our refugee status, that
is why we asking you to help us to invest our inheritance in your country
for our new future.

We are ready to offer you 25% of the total amount for the inconveniences
and your time this may cause you, while 5% will be mapped out for any
expenses that might occur during the process of the transfer, the remaining
70% will be for our investment in your country or any other part of the
World you decided.

We will appreciate your quick response, because we need to leave this
country soonest.

Thanks, and God bless.
Mr William Charles

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