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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: "Mrs. Cathrine Edward" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.cathrineedward@mynet.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 12:47:56 +0100
Subject: Re: Important

My Dearest Friend,
 
Calvary greetings in the name of Almighty God, I am Mrs. Cathrine Edward, A widow to Late Dr. Pereau Edward (former Counselor of the Benin Embassy in Madrid, Spain we own Treasure Art Inc. and Treasure Crude Oil Marketers he was also a Top Cocoa Merchant in this Country, we are very wealthy we have a lot of properties including Shares and houses. I am a new Christian convert. I am suffering from cancer of the Pelvic my condition is serious, according to my doctor it is quite obvious that I may not survive the sickness.
 
My late husband and he died on Auto crash along Epe Express Way along with my 2 lovely children on that faithful Day I will not forget in my life 2nd of September 2009, Death has caused me so much pains, there is no need leaving further on Earth without my lovely Husband and children, after our marriage it took us extra 5 years to give birth still they died tell me what i mine living for? And I have no family relation, and my husband people were against our marriage from the beginning, my life is full of misery.
 
After the death of my husband I made up my mind to do the work of God as a missionary. I sold all my husband's properties and shares to enable me raise some money to continue my mission. He deposited the sum of (US$5 MILLION DOLLARS) which he deposited with a Bank here. Now that my sickness has gone to this stage, I am scared and I want the fund to be used for the Motherless Babies Home and Orphanages all over the world.
 
I have prayed to God to direct me to an honest PERSON who will receive this fund and utilize it for things that will glorify the name of God, after my prayers, I searched your site in the Internet, I found your email address and I decided to contact you to receive the fund. This is on the condition that you will take only 20% of the fund for yourself, 5% for any expenses, while you will use the remaining 75% for the less privileges people in the society.
 
If you are interested in using this fund for the work of God, please send to me your full name, address, telephone/fax number, occupation and age to enable me give it to the Bank for immediate arrangement to release the fund to you.
 
I cannot predict what will be my fate by the time the fund will be transferred into your account, but you should please ensure that the fund is used as I have described above. Stated below is what I need from you as soon I receive all your information, I will contact my bank and present you to them as my next of kin.
 
1) Full Name and Address
2) Your telephone number / Fax Number.
3) Age
4) Occupation
5) A valid form of identification (International Passport or Personal I.D) If any one available.
 
I await your urgent reply for more details.
 
Most sincerely,
 
Mrs. Cathrine Edward.

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