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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: Cole Davidson <mrcoledavidson@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 12:20:44 +0000
Subject: Hello Friend,

Hello Friend,

My Name is Mr Cole Davidson, I am a banker by profession. I hail from
Lome, Republic of Togo West Africa. My
reason for contacting you is to transfer an abandoned $4,700, 000.00
(Four Million Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars) to your account. The
owner of this fund died since 2007 with his wife and their only son
who is the Next of Kin to the deposit. I want to present you to the
bank as the depositor's relative, since his relative are nowhere to be
found. Further details of the transaction shall be forwarded to you as
soon as I receive your return mail indicating your interest. I have in
mind to share the money 50/50 with you.

Until I hear from you.

Best regards,
Mr Cole Davidson,

Anti-fraud resources: