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:

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.
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Farouk Mensah <farouk_mensahz5@msn.com>
Reply-To: <farkensah@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 10:38:24 +0000
Subject: =?windows-1256?Q?YOUR_URGEN?= =?windows-1256?Q?T_ATTENTIO?=
=?windows-1256?Q?N_IS_NEEDE?= =?windows-1256?Q?D.=FE?=

FROM: FAROUK MENSAH

Dear Sir,

My name is Dr. Farouk Mensah. I am the Director , Contract Procurement and Foreign Payments .I write to you in all honesty and with a sense of urgency.I have the mandate of my colleagues , to source for a credible person abroad, who can assist in transferring out of the country ,some 10 Million U.S Dollars. The process is 100 percent risk free and guaranteed.You are to keep 30percent of the fund upon conclusion of this project.

Upon the successful transfer and disbursement of the first installment of $10 Million, we shall immediately commence the second transfer .This is to ensure that you can be trusted. This is a high secret transaction, because of the personalities involved.

Please my dear, i will give you full details as soon as i hear from you.

Am waiting for your reply,
Yours,
FAROUK MENSAH

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam