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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: mensa kouassi <barr.mensakouassi@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2014 16:32:26 +0100
Subject: Greetings

Greetings Friend,

I am Mensa kouassi, a legal practitioner at law to a deceased
Immigrant property Magnate, he is from your Country, also referred to
as my client.

I would like you to stand as the NEXT OF KIN to my deceased
client,That has same last name with you who made some deposits of
$12.600,000,00 firm (NAME WITHHELD). He died without any registered
NEXT OF KIN and as such the funds now have an open beneficiary
mandate.

If you are interested please try and get back to me so that i can give
you comprehensive details on what we are to do. I urgently hope to get
your response as soon as possible.

Sincerely.
Barr.Mensa kouassi

Anti-fraud resources: