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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: Francis Neto <wpwp4@715069.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <francis.neto@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2016 18:47:07 +0100
Subject: Asset Building & Investment Letter

From: Francis Neto
Sonangol Limited
Merevale House
Brompton Place
London SW3 1QE
United Kingdom.

Attention: Sir/Madam

This letter is not intending to cause you any embarrassment in whatever form rather it’s an appeal for Partnership Corporation. I am the Principal Accountant attached to the Sonangol-Angolan National Petroleum Company. I have decided to send forth this proposal to you after some deliberation.

I have in my possession the sum of US$16MILLION (SIXTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS). The above fund which is now in a suspense account here in United Kingdom, was accrued from recent over-invoiced contract awarded to a foreign firm for Maintenance and installation of oil refinery Equipment in Cabinda, Angola. In pursuant to the terms of deed of assignment under the International Monetary fund (I.M.F.) debt-servicing program to pay out all outstanding debt owed to foreign firms I decided to initiate this outstanding fund for payment/transfer.

I now seek your assistance for easy transfer of the over-invoiced (left-over) amount as the foreign beneficiary and also in recognition of your personal executive profile and investment opportunities available in your country. At this juncture, I want you to stand-in as the original contractor to enable me put claim on the above sum. I will manipulate and authenticate the payment to your name. I am assuring you that it is low-risk operation because all the necessary arrangement have been made.

With my position and experience I have worked out the strategies in such a way that the transaction will take 12 working days to be accomplished. On the receipt of your acceptance I will be in a very good position to give you details on the agreed sharing ratio.

If satisfied with this proposal kindly notify me by email (francis.neto@yahoo.co.uk) so that I can furnish you with more details on how the transaction will be done. I will be with you in person immediately the fund arrives in your country. Please note that this is highly confidential and should be treated as such.

Kind regards,
Francis Neto

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