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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: "AMBASSADOR JAMES F. ENTWISTLE" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 2015 15:19:56 -0000
Subject: DEAR BENEFICIARY,

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATE OF AMERICA
AMBASSADOR JAMES F. ENTWISTLE
U.S AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA,
PLOT 1075 DIPLOMATIC DRIVE
CENTRAL DISTRICT AREA, ABUJA.
DEAR  BENEFICIARY,
THIS IS AMBASSADOR JAMES F. ENTWISTLE. UNITED STATE OF AMERICA
AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA.  I SHALL BE COMING TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR AN
OFFICIAL MEETING ON TUESDAY AND I WILL BE BRINGING YOUR FUNDS THROUGH
AN ATM MASTER CARD OF $5.5M ALONG WITH ME BUT THIS TIME I WILL NOT GO
THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE AS AN AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, I AM A US
GOVERNMENT AGENT AND I HAVE THE VETO POWER TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS. AS
SOON AS I AM THROUGH WITH THE MEETING I SHALL THEN PROCEED TO YOUR
ADDRESS. (SEND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT
ME TO BRING THE PACKAGE). YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH IN THIS
DELIVERY THAT MAKES ME WONDER. YOU ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON BECAUSE I
SHALL BE BRINGING IT MYSELF AND THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT
IT. CHECK HERE:  http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE GREAT DOUBT AND DISTRUST IN YOUR HEART
IN RESPECT TO THIS EMAIL COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT SO MANY MISCREANTS
AND IMPOSTERS(SCAMMERS) HAVE TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE INTERNET TO
FACILITATE THEIR NEFARIOUS DEEDS, THEREBY MAKING IT EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT FOR GENUINE AND LEGITIMATE BUSINESS CLASS PERSONS TO GET
ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION. YOUR PACKAGE($5.5M) MUST BE REGISTERED AS
AN AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE FOR ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS AND THE COST OF
REGISTERING IT IS $300. THE FEE MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 50 HOURS VIA
WESTERN UNION SO THAT ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE
TIME WILL BE AGAINST US.
YOU SHOULD SEND THE FEE DIRECTLY TO THE CARGO REGISTRATION OFFICER
WITH THE INFO BELOW-
RECEIVER'S NAME: Atuge Anthony
ADDRESS: NIGERIA
TEXT QUESTION: GOD BLESSES?
ANSWER: AMERICA
AMOUNT $300
SENDERS NAME:
SENDERS ADDRESS:
AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE FEE MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE PAYMENT
INFORMATION. MY FLIGHT IS TUESDAY AND I EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY BEFORE
THEN SO THAT THE DELIVERY CAN BE COMPLETED. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY, THEN
IT WILL NOT BE MY FAULT IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE.
SIGN
HIS EXCELLENCY JAMES F. ENTWISTLE
US AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
CHECK HERE VIEW MY DATA:  http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html

Anti-fraud resources: