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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: nelson mark <nelson.mark500@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 15:01:42 +0100
Subject: DEAR FRIEND.

Dear Friend,

I am sorry for this interruption. I have no other way to reach you
than these ways if the contents here under are contrary to your moral
ethics. Please accept my apology, but please treat with absolute
secrecy and personal.

With due regards, my name is Nelson Mark,a banker by profession in my
bank currently holding the post of Director Auditing and Accounting
unit of my bank.

There is a draft account opened in my bank in 1998 by a long-time
client of our bank,a national of your country.He was a CEO/a textile
company owner, business man,a miner at Kruger mining company here in
Ghana, he was also a geologist and a mining consultant to several
other mining conglomerates operating in Ghana.

Before he passed away on the November 16th 2004 by car accident with
his wife and two children along Accra Ghana, leaving nobody as the
representative of his account after his death. The amount in this
account is currently $28,625,370.00.I want to present you as the
representative I will use my position and influence in our bank to
make sure they release this money to you for us to share.

Yours Sincerely,
Nelson Mark.

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