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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: "Mr. Bryan Oduche" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bryanoduche@mynet.com>
Date: Wed, 18 May 2016 17:10:36 +0530
Subject: Dear Good Friend,

Dear Good Friend,

I am Mr. Bryan Oduche. Manager, Bill and Treasury Department of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. I got your contact during my search for the relatives of one of our foreign customers, Late Mr. Whyte Veitch Irvine. He was an expatriate who works with Oil Company here in Nigeria before his accidental death on Saturday, the 10th day of Dec. 2005 via the ill-fated Sosoliso air crash without finding any of his relative.

During our bank routine check, we discovered the sum of ($25M USD) Twenty-Five Million United States Dollars in a domiciliary account with our bank which belonged to the late deceased. The bank management wants to freeze his account now since nobody comes up to claim his money as his relation was not found. I don't want to lose this money, I now contacted you for this transaction so that this money will be released to you for safe keeping and our sharing as this will be an opportunity for both of us to make money and which will be a mutual benefit for both of us. The request for you to stand as next of kin is that the late deceased was a foreigner and I cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner. I will negotiate the sharing mode with you.

I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make you worried and apprehensive, but I am assuring you that this transaction is 100% legitimate and hitch free. All I needed from you is your honesty, co-operation, assistance towards this transaction and assurance to me that my share of the money will be released to me after the transfer of this fund to you. Due to the nature of this transaction, you have to keep this transaction absolute secret and confidential till we get this money into your account. I have concluded and perfected the whole arrangement for the smooth operation of this transaction and immediate transfer of this money to you.

Trusting to hear from you immediately to enable us proceed.

Thanks and yours sincerely,
Mr. Bryan Oduche.

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