419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mrsmariaquinterorivillas501@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Maria Elena Quintero Rivillas" <diplomatsamsongate511@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrsmariaquinterorivillas501@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 13:30:39 -0700
Subject: I Have Decided To Will/Donate My Charity Fund To The Charity
Organization Through You

Dear Friend,

My name is Madam.Maria Elena Quintero Rivillas From American citizen but
based TOKYO JAPAN, I am a dying woman who has decided to donate what I have
to charity Organization through you. You may be wondering why I choose
you.But someone has to be chosen. I am 54 years old and suffering for
cancer about 7 years ago, my husband who had left me everything he worked.

I have been touched by the lord to donate from what I have inherited from
my late husband to charity Organization through you for the good work of
humanity.

I have asked the lord to forgive me all my sins and I believe he has,
because He is merciful. I will be going in for an operation, and I pray
that I survive the operation.

I have decided to WILL/Donate the sum of US 106,000,000.00 Million Dollars
to the charity Organization through you for the good work of the lord, and
to help the motherless, less privileged and also for the assistance of the
widows.

At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls because I can hardly talk,
and I have been restricted by my doctor from taking telephone calls because
I deserve all the rest I can get.

Presently, I have informed my lawyer about my decision in WILLING this fund
to charity through you. I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless
you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always extend the good
work to others.

If you are interested in carrying out this task, please provide the
following informations stated below:

NO 1: YOUR FULL NAME.
NO 2: YOUR HOME ADDRESS
NO 3: CONTACT TELEHONE NUMBER. (HOME TELEPHONE AND MOBILE TELEPHONE).
NO 4: YOUR MARITAL STATUS.
NO.5: YOUR CURRENT OCCUPATION.
NO 6: YOUR PASSPORT COPY OR DRIVER'S LICENSE.
NO 7: YOUR COMPLETE BANKING ACCOUNT DETAILS (BANK NAME, BANK ADDRESS, BANK
ACCOUNT NUMBER, BANK SWIFT CODE, BANK ROUTING NUMBER,YOUR ACOCUNT NAME AND
YOUR BANK TELEPHONE NUMBER).

I know I have never met you before, after my prayers, my mind tells me to
do this, and I hope you act sincerely. When the money is in your account,
you will take 30% of the total amount and give the balance to the charity
organization in your country.

NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the
task is accomplished, as I don't want anything that will jeopardize my last
wish,

Please Forward the requested informations to my private email address: (
mrsmariaquinterorivillas501@gmail.com) so that I will advise you what to
do to receive this fund valued US106,000,000.00 million dollars into your
account in your country to enable you start the charity mission.

I am looking forward to receive the requested information to enable us
proceed into action.

Shallom !!

Mrs. Maria Elena Quintero Rivillas
TOKYO JAPAN
E-mail: mrsmariaquinterorivillas501@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam