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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. Maueen Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsmaureenbrown200@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 1 May 2017 09:26:54 -0700
Subject: PLEASE REPLY FAST



Greetings,

May your heart-desires be granted by the special grace of Almighty God as you take your time to read this message and respond wholeheartedly. The Boko Haram Militant in the Northern part Nigeria killed my beloved husband as a result of their Islamic (Muslim) religion against Christians. I have been suffering with my children ever since the death of my beloved husband, there's no money to relocate my children to another country and there's no free movement over here in the Northern part of Nigeria because the Islamic Religion is against Christianity and Christians are been slaughtered like animals.

My late husband was into importation of cars and heavy duty trucks from Europe and he made a little fixed deposit while planning our relocation to Europe before death denied his wonderful dreams. I honestly do not know how to take good care of my kids or commit suicide with them since there's no help on this Earth, not even the worst government of Nigeria can consider widows. I would like you to contact the security firm where my late husband made fixed deposit and inform them that you are my late husband's business partner of which the deposited amount belongs to both of you.

The security firm told me that my late husband's deposit was officially endorsed for business purposes and only his business partner can claim the fixed deposit, it wasn't my late husband's fault because he never knew he was going to die, i hereby seeking your merciful assistance to communicate the security company informing them that you are my late husband's business partner, i shall inform the security firm that you have been executing auto businesses with my late husband. I look forward to your kind hearted reply with your complete personal information. Please send your reply directly to my private email: mrsmaureenbrown200@gmail.com

Regards,
Mrs. Maueen Brown

Anti-fraud resources: