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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: vogelshop@tesco.net
Reply-To: "Mrs.Joy Wilford" <Mrs.JoyWilford2021@myself.com>
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 13:14:46 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Letter From Mrs.Joy Wilford







Dearly Beloved,
 
Please read this slowly and carefully, as it may be one of the most
important emails you ever get. I am Mrs.Joy Wilford , I was married to
DR.FRANKLYN WILFORD Late.  He used to work with Shell Petroleum
Development Company London and was also a seasoned contractor in the West
African Region and some states in the United States . He died on Monday,31
July, 2012 in  Paris. We were married for seven years without a child.
As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because, I
Believe Everyone will die someday. I have been diagnosed with Esophagus
cancer and My Doctor told  me that I would not last long due to my
complicated health issues.
 
I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul so, I have decided to
give our entire fund to charity organizations /churches/ Mosque motherless
/ babies/less  privileged/widows, as I want this to be one of the last
good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity
organizations in the Oman, Algeria  and Malaysia. Now that my health has
deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore since i am here at
the london hospital.
 
I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and
distribute the money which I have donated to charity organization in
Bulgaria, Thailand, Russia and  Pakistan; they refused and kept the money
to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be
Contended with what I have left for them. As this occassioned me to work
without one who is not closely related .
 
I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this
money, I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going .I know that
I am going to be  in the bosom of the Lord. As soon as I receive your
reply I shall give you more details on how to work and get this done
through the help of our family attorney so that he can introduce you to
the account officer of the bank were my husband  deposit $20,000,000.00
million dollars and issue you a letter of authorization that will empower
you as the original-beneficiary of this fund.
 
I want you to always pray for me and any delay in your reply will give me
room in sourcing for another individual for this same purpose. If you are
not interested,  kindly pardon me for contacting you. But if you are
kindly reply me at my private e-mail :( joywilford@mrs.joywilford.uk.pn ).
Thanks,
Yours Sister in the Lord,
Mrs.Joy Wilford

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