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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: "Mr. Ban AHMAD" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wnmoneytransfer@xbmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 09:15:31 -0700
Subject: CONGRATULATION

Hello,
 
We are here to notify you that the sum of US$2,800,000.00 was generated and awarded to you by the United Arab Emirates, West African commission and the Western Union Foundation as one of the customers who uses Western Union in  their business transaction. This award was been selected through the internet, where your e-mail address was indicated and notified.
 
The Western Union Foundation and the United Arab Emirates commission collects all the email addresses of the people that are active online,among the millions of our customers who use Western Union in their business  transactions, Four people are selected yearly to benefit from this promotion and you are one of the Selected Winners.
 
Therefore be informed that we have already sent you $5,000 U.S.Dollars through Western union as we have been given the mandate to transfer your  full payment total sum of US$2,800,000.00 U.S.Dollars via western union.
 
We tried several times to reach you through phone and give you the payment information through phone but all our effort were to no avail. Now,The  first $5,000 US. Dollars has already been sent to you today. As We have  concluded to effect your payment through western union.
 
You will be picking up $5,000 daily until the $2,800.000.00 is completed. So,contact the Western union Agent: Mr. Vincent Rex. His Tel: +234-803-277-6923   E-mail: ( wnmoneytransfer@xbmail.com ) Tell him to give you the MTCN  number ,Sender name,text Question and answer to pick up your first payment  of $5,000.Dollar. You will pay him $210 dollars for the processing of the  ownership certificate before he will give you the information to pick up  your first payment of $5,000.00.dollar.
 
You can also ask him to send to you a proof, the ownership certificate of  the Funds. It is for you to be sure that the funds belong to you. Make sure you send the following information to the western union office to  enable them verify and be sure that you are the real beneficiary:
 
Your Full name:
Home Address:
City:
Country:
Phone number:
Occupation:
Age:
 
The only money you will pay to the Western Union office is $210 dollars and he will release the MTCN number ,Sender name,text Question and answer to  you to pick up your first payment. As beneficiary will be required to pay  for the ownership certificate which was procure in their name to back up  their transfer before the release of the full payment information. Please  Bear this in mind before forwarding your information to him.
 
Please,contact Mr.Vincent Rex of the western Union office now so that he  will issue to you the full payment information after you might have paid  the $210 dollars for the ownership certificate. Again,the below is his
email address ( wnmoneytransfer@xbmail.com).
 
Yours Faithfully,
William Edwards
Awards Coordinator WEST AFRICAN Western Union Foundation
De-facto Chief Award Officer
United Emirate Award Committee
West Africa Award Committee
Mr. Ban AHMAD.

Anti-fraud resources: