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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: "Mrs. Juliet Oliver Young" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsjoliveryoung@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2015 18:53:35 -0800
Subject: Warmly greeting Dear Sir/Madam

Warmly greeting Dear Sir/Madam
 
Please forgive me if my plead sounds a little strange or unbelievable to you. I am
Mrs. Juliet Oliver Young by name sending you this mail from my hospital bed, I got
your contact from the internet through a help of a nursing friend who help me search
the internet for a company or someone who will help me utilize this wealth the way I am
going to instruct him or her, I humbly ask you to give me your attention and hear me
alright; Once again my name is Mrs. Juliet Oliver Young from Sierra- Leone, I am married
To Dr. Edward William-Uwen Young who worked with Texaco Oil Company in Nigeria for a
period of 17 years before he died.
 
We were married for 9 years without a child before he died after a brief illness, Since his death
I decided not to re-marry due to my religious belief, When my late husband was alive he deposited
the sum of US$47. 5 Million Dollars (Forty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand United State American
Dollars) Presently this money is still with the Bank and the management wrote me an email as the
beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rather Issue a letter of authority to somebody to
receive it on my behalf, I am presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment for Cancer
of the lungs, I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few months
to live so I decided to use the money for charity purposes.
 
After having known my condition I decided to donate this money to an organization or God fearing person
that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct him or her, I want you to use this money for
churches, Charity organization, orphanages, widows and other people that are in need, I took this decision
because I don't have any child that will inherit this money, Moreover my husband relatives are not close to
me since I develop a Cancer problem and it had been their wish to see me dead in order to inherit his wealth
since we have no Child, These people are not worthy of this inheritance, This is why I am taking this decision.
 
I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my ill-health, As soon as I receive your
reply I will give you the contact of the Bank in Ghana where this money is deposited, I will also issue a letter
of authorization to the bank that will prove you the present beneficiary of this money, I also want you to
always put me in prayer All I hope is that you will not betray this trust and confident I am about to impose on you.
 
Any delay in your reply may give me room to look for another good person for this same purpose. Please
assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated.
 
Hoping to receive your response soonest
Mrs. Juliet Oliver Young

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