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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: "Mrs. Geraldine Denise" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <geraldinedenise2016@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2016 00:16:05 -0500
Subject: *** VIRUS *** READ HERE A SOLUTION TO YOUR VICTIM PAYMENT

Read to amend your mistakes my friend, for this will be of a great help to redeem you from all difficulties you have been experiencing in regards to your long over due payment, I am Geraldine Denise from USA Oregon to be preside, I am one of the beneficiaries that are to be compensated by Nigeria Government many years ago and they refused to pay me, I hard spent over 140.000.00 US Dollars trying to get my payment but all to no avail, few days ago, I got a mail from a fellow citizen advising me to stop dealing with people contacting me but contact a Barrister in Nigeria to receive my fund, honestly I thought it was another scam, until I gave it a try by traveling down to Nigeria, and I was directed to meet a payment Barrister whom I explained my problems, and he explained his part to me too, he said that whosoever contacting us through emails for any kind of payment such as UBA BANK, FIRST BANK, ZENITH BANK, CBN, UPS, DHL, ATM and Casher Check E.T.C are all FAKE, He then took me to the paying bank for the claim of my Compensation payment, and I received my long payment of USD60.3 million, Moreover the payment Barrister, showed me the full information's of those that are yet to receive their payments and I saw your email Address as one of the beneficiaries, which made me emailed you, be advice that those people contacting and extracting money from you are nothing but fraudsters, they are only making money out of us, and if you don't stop now then be prepare to be permanent in debt, I am saying this out of experienced, contact the payment Barrister to claim your fund with out any further delay, his E-mail.... (electedbarr111@gmail.com). I only paid 620USD for the obtaining of my fund permit Certificate, I am very happy now and I wish you same. Yours Truthfully Mrs. Geraldine Denise

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