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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: Ahmed Ali Hassan <tocom13@ahmedah.onmicrosoft.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2014 11:01:42 +0000
Subject: We need your help




Greetings,

It is with due respect I write you this email which I pray you give your time and consider as well. Before I proceed, may I introduce myself to you. My name is Ahmed Ali Hassan, a Syrian currently living in Thailand. My late father was a top government official in Syria who served as one of the personal aids to the president on petroleum matters.

Before his death, he deposited US$17.3m (seventeen million, three hundred thousand United States dollars) with a bank here in Thailand where he wanted us to relocate because of the crisis in my country. He could not move because of his death, while we (myself and my mother) were able to make it to Thailand. Living and doing business in Thailand now is not the best because of the political crisis, we are interested in living and investing in your country which is investment friendly and we need your help.

We want to relocate to your country, kindly guide and assist us in making the right investment and in buying a residential building where we will live. In view of your assistance, we are ready to give you 20% of this fund for your assistance, or better still commit it into viable joint venture projects with you. Be assured that you stand no risk of any kind as the funds belong to me and my mother and I am the beneficiary to the fund. As soon as I get your consent and reach an agreement with you, we will quickly move this fund to your country for investment and the property acquisition.

I strongly believe that associating with you to embark on this and other business ventures will produce good benefits for us and you. If you can be of help, reply immediately so we can move ahead.

Yours sincerely,
Ahmed Ali Hassan.

Anti-fraud resources: