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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: James Mba <jamesmba595@godmail.dk>
Reply-To: jamesmba02@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 09:07:49 +0200
Subject: Business Inquiry


Audit Department
International Banking Department
Ecowas Bank for Investment and Development
www.ecowas.int

Sir
Subject: Requesting your co-operation to receive (US$10,500, 000.00 )
Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars inheritance funds into your
bank account.

I am Mr. James Mba, a senior staff of the ECOWAS Regional Bank. I am
contacting you to solicit your cooperation concerning our customer
Walter Hook whose entire family were victims of the devastating
8.9-magnitude earthquake that triggered tsunami through Kesennuma City
in Miyagi Prefecture Japan on Friday 11th March 2011.

Visit this link for your perusal;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami

Walter Hook The (deceased) has an account balance of (US$10,500,
000.00 ) Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars and about twenty
five kilograms alluvial gold deposited in our bank's custody until the
unexpected tragedy in Japan that wiped out the family. By privilege of
being Walter Hook's personal account supervisor I have his file in my
possession and I need your sincere co-operation to transfer these
funds to a safe bank account in your country because the (deceased)
presently has no next of kin to inherit his estate here.

I do not want to declare these huge sums of money as unclaimed funds
which will just be forfeited to the government, and as a staff of the
bank I cannot personally claim these funds.

We will successfully wind up the transfer of these funds to your
preferred bank account within ambit of law as business associate to
Walter Hook the (deceased) through a transparent legal documentation
in your name, is rest assured that this transaction is 100% risk-free
by virtue of my status in the bank and also my vast experience in the
banking sector. I look forward to work with you for the successful
swift transfer of these funds to your bank account.

As a seasoned bank do not ask many questions on the possibility or
success of this project because I know how to go about manipulation of
the bank Database to effect needed changes in your name. Upon
successful completion of these into your bank account, I will come
over to your country and meet with you personally so can share the
funds 50/50equal.

Please if this proposal don't interest you, delete this correspondence
after reading this email and pretend as if you have not received it
from me.

Regards

James Mba




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