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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: Leonard George <leonardgeorge777@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2015 05:05:51 -0330
Subject: Re: I await your reply


Greetings dear.
I have tried to reach you on phone but your line was busy, so I decided to
write you this message. My name is Leonard George, I'm a banker officer
here in London. I have been in search of someone with last name as yours so
when I saw you online I decided to contact you and see how best we can
assist each other.
One of our customer a citizen of your country had a fixed deposit with my
bank in 2005 for 108 calendar months, valued at £20,000,000.00 (Twenty
Million Pound Sterling) the due date for this deposit contract was last
22nd of January 2013. Sadly he was among the death victims in the May 27
2006 Earthquake disaster in Java, Indonesia that killed over 5,000 people.
He was in Indonesia on a business trip and that was how he met his end.
My bank management is yet to know about his death, I knew about it because
he was my friend and I am his account officer. He did not mention any Next
of Kin/ Heir when the account was opened, and he was not married and no
children. Last week my Bank Management requested that he should give
instructions on what to do about his funds, if to renew the contract.
I know this will happen and that is why I have been looking for a means to
handle the situation, because if my Bank Directors happens to know that he
is dead and does not have any Heir, they will take the funds for their
personal use. So I don't want such to happen that was why when I saw your
last name I contacted you. Indeed I will appreciate your co-operation so
that i will position you as Next of Kin/ beneficiary to the funds since you
both have same last name and my bank will transfer the money to you and
you shall get 30% of the total funds. It is better we claim the money than
allowing my Bank Directors to take it.
Let me know your mind and please do treat this information as TOP SECRET.
We shall go over the details once I hear from your side
Have a nice day.

Regards,

Leonard George.

Anti-fraud resources: