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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: Mrs. Rose Werner <mrsrosewener@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 11:43:28 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Good day......................................

Dear Friend,
I am the Branch Manager  EcoBank Plc, My Client (LATE Engr. Barry Louis ) a National of your country, who is a contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES  in Nigeria  My client, his wife, and their three children were involved in AUTO-MOBILE CRASH along Lagos Ibadan  express way and all family died in this fatal AUTO-MOBILE CRASH on 5th JUNE 2010 Since then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended Relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his last name Or Midle Name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared no serviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged, particularly the  EcoBank Plc,PLC. Where the deceased had an account Valued at about ($55.6 Million US Dollars) has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin. Or have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same Midle or last name so that the proceeds of this account valued at ($55.6 Million US Dollars) can be paid to you and then you and me Can share the money.50% to me and 50% to you we might incur in this transaction an attorney will be contacted to help us re-validate and notarize all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND HENCEFORTH KINDLY SEND YOUR
(1) YOUR DIRECT CELL PHONE & FAX NUMBER.
(2) YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS .
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and me from any breach of the law. Please treat this letter with trick confidentiality and urgency.You are advice to get back here in my private email bellow(mrsrosewener@gmail.com)
Best Regards,
Mrs. Rose Werner

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