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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Markus Ndlovu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <markusndlovu1@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 20:17:13 +0100
Subject: WARM REGARDS

Attention:Sir/Madam,

I am Markus Ndlovu, I work as a senior investment consultant for a bank here
in South Africa. A client of mine who died in march 2008 has the same
last name with you, the name is withheld for security reasons.
I have been trying to reach you but all my efforts have proved futile.

Please if I get to you as I expect, do get back to me with your full details:
Names;Address, Tel No. as the only surviving relative of the deceased to lay
claim to his investment on email:

Thank you.
Markus Ndlovu

Anti-fraud resources: