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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: "Prof.John Williams" <payment1office200@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 09:36:05 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: INFO


 INTERNATIONAL FUNDS TRANSFER / AUDIT UNITS
 UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS SERVICES UNITED
 KINGDOM.
 MONITORING UNIT, CONSULTING AND INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.

 From: Prof.John Williams

 NOV 29TH -2014

 Attention:

 This is to inform you that i was sent on a special assignment by the United Nations secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, after series of complaint from the FBI and other Security agencies from Asia, Europe,South America ,Australia and the United States of America respectively, against the African countries, the government of Nigeria and the British Government for the high volume of scam activities going on in these two nations.

 Right now, as directed by the secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon. We are working in collaborations with the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and have decided to waive away all your clearance
 fees/Charges and authorize the Government of Nigeria to
 effect your overdue payment worth USD $25.5 Million only into your account
 without any delay as approved and instructed by UNITED
 NATIONS. The only fee you will pay to receive your fund is your STAMP DUTY
 fee of USD$98 only.

 Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some
 top Nigerian and British Government Officials are interested in
 your fund and they are working in collaboration with One Mrs. Maija Bukal
 from Zagreb Croatia to frustrate you and thereafter divert your
 fund into her personal bank account in Croatia

 I have a very short time to stay here in Africa, so I would like you to
 urgently respond to this message so that I will advise you on what
 to do so that you will receive your long awaiting payment.


 I will send you the payment information upon your response.

 Yours Sincerely,

 Prof. John Williams
 United Nations Under-Secretary-
 General for Human rights.



Anti-fraud resources: