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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: "Barrister Chinedu Martins Esq" <marliff@terra.com.br>
Reply-To: johnxtomex@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 2016 14:09:05 -0600
Subject: Thank you for your past effort,

My Dearest Friend

Thank you for your past effort, I understand the totality of points on a
line with my bank despite that we failed to comply with International fund
transfer instructions. I later succeeded and the fund has been transferred
into an account visa card provided by a new friend from Australia. I
actually appreciate your past assistance and commitment. Meanwhile, I
dropped an international Automated Teller Machine card (ATM VISA CARD) to
my secretary while I instructed him to get and send to you as soon as you
contact him. The ATM VISA your card worth $1,850,000usd (One Million Eight
Hundred and Fifty Thousand United State Dollars) and you can withdraw
funds in any bank ATM visa machine around the world. My pleasure is a
polite reaction to thank you for this, though I may not have the time to
reach you again because I’m hospitalized for cancer and lungs infection
in one Australian Hospital which may lead to a sudden death according to
medical reports Please kindly donate 30% of this fund to the charity
organization, More especially (orphans and the motherless babies homes)
Contact my secretary immediately so that he should send your programmed
ATM Visa Card to you and his name is Mr. John Christopher, His email
address:- johnxtomex@gmail.com

Please contact him with the following information below to avoid wrong
delivery and keep me update because i have contacted you on this vital
issue before without any update from you The information is thus:-

Your, Full Name.
Your, Country of Origin.
Contact address.

Your telephone Number for easy communications between you and Mr. John
Christopher my secretary. May God bless you and don't forget to update me
as soon as you receive the ATM card.

Best regards,
Barrister Chinedu Martins Esq.

Anti-fraud resources: