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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: "Lara" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <daniellara@mynet.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2015 23:55:46 -0700
Subject: GET BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE



ATTN: CEO/ PRESIDENT,

I am Daniel Lara, I am the linkman between the Organization For Petroleum Exporting Countries - OPEC and the petroleum sector. Through the sale of our allocated oil quota in OPEC, and my official representations, I was able to make $22.5 Million, I want you to assist me to claim this money because right now, I cannot claim it directly because I am still a Civil servant, moreso, the present administration in our country through its code of conduct and anti-graft acts which are being vigorously pursued forbids me to Acquire such amount of money, hence it has become difficult for me to claim the funds directly as long as this administration remains.

It is on this basis that I am contacting you for assistance. The documents with which the fund is deposited will be changed to reflect you as the beneficiary so that you will be eligible to have the funds released to you based on good and genuine understanding on my behalf. Understand that I am contacting you because I need a foreigner who will stand in to claim the money and with my instruction to have the money released to you as the beneficiary, you must be paid.

I will give you 25% of the fund for this assistance, while 65% Will be for me and 10% will be for reimbursement of any expenses that may be incurred on both sides. I want to assure you that there is no risk attached in this transaction. You should also provide me with your private telephone numbers for easier communication.

Expecting your response with interest.

Daniel Lara.

Anti-fraud resources: