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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: "Louis Erik Hans"<userme@secure.net>
Reply-To: louiserikhans1@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 2015 22:14:53 +0300
Subject: Willie is dead

Barrister: LOUIS ERIK HANS
Email: louiserikhans1@gmail.com
Ref: NL/218-22/4K

This is my second letter to you, once more my name is Barrister LOUIS ERIK HANS I am the personal attorney to Mr. Willie who died few years ago, May his gentle soul rest in peace, Before his death, he deposited One Trunk Box/Diplomatic Personal Treasure, containing the sum of $8.700.000.00 (EIGHT MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S. DOLLARS ONLY) with a security company here in The Netherlands.

But he did not disclose the content of the deposited diplomatic consignment to the security company, for security reasons.

Now the company is anticipating someone with the same surname (last name) specifically referred from my office to claim the money.

All my efforts to get his family relatives have not been successful, so I came across your contact information and decided to ask for your cooperation to present you to the company as his next of kin so that the money will be paid to you for our sharing on which will be negotiated upon your agreement, If you are interested, please reply me and note that you are the only person I have contacted. Therefore, all correspondence should be confidential.

I am waiting to hear from you.

Best Regards,
Bar. Louis Erik Hans.

Anti-fraud resources: