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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. MAKUNGO GAZI" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <Gazimakungomrs@myself.com>
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 00:45:22 -0000
Subject: family investment proposal

Attn: Sir / Madam
 
Please do not be embarrassed to receive this mail especially since we don’t know each other or meet in person before. I was opportune to have your esteemed particulars from South Africa Information Exchange (S.A.I.E.) in my search for a reliable person to handle a very confidential transaction, My concern has centered on who I could rely on in investing my late husband’s money in your country I am Mrs MAKUNGO GAZI the wife of late comrade Border Gezi, my husband was the former Zimbabwean Minister for youth and gender equality before his untimely death.
 
While alive, my husband stood against seizure of white farms and the distribution of it to the Robert Mugabe’s loyalist without proper compensation to the owners. Because of my husband’s sincerity, he was killed by President Mugabe’s supporters along Harare-Masvingo Road near Mvuma Province of Zimbabwe. Before his untimely death, my husband told me some few months earlier that he kept one diplomatic box with a private finance and Security Company in Johannesburg, South Africa, which contains US$25.5Million. He warned me that he only declared the contents of the diplomatic box to the Security Company as family treasure/values, with insurance values of the said amount.
 
He also told me that he used my name as the beneficiary of this money being his wife, he handed to me all the original copies of the documents containing his transaction with the security company where he deposited the box containing this money. Because of South African Financial Law, which bared asylum seeker/ refugee such as myself not to operate an account that exceed US$5000 and fear of the amount involved, I decided to write to you to seek your help for this money to be transferred into your company/ personal bank account for my family investment in your country.
 
Please I will need your private phone numbers where I could reach you at all times because we need to be in constant communication to hasten this plans, I want to reassure you that you will be adequately compensated for your kind assistance, however we are prepared to negotiate with you before we move on what will be your commission for your anticipated assistance. Thanks once more for your anticipated reply while looking forward to establishing a life time relationship with you and your family through this transaction.
 
Best regards,
Mrs MAKUNGO GAZI (for the Gezi family)

Anti-fraud resources: