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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. ARIEL STONEHOUSE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <diamondbankfrd1@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:48:38 +0100
Subject: ABOUT YOUR MONEY

Diamond BANK PLC,
1 Churchill Place,
Benin, E14 5HP
From The Desk Of:
Mr. Ariel Stonehouse
(International Remittance Officer)
 
 
Attention,
Dear Sir/ Madame
 
I am Mr. Ariel Stonehouse from Diamond Bank PLC, Benin.  Under the authority and recognition of WORLD BANK we had just formed a new forum which is the newly inaugurated World Debt Recovery committee (WDRC). My committee has a mandate to recover unpaid debts associated with NNPC contracts, Lottery fund, inheritance fund, loans and grants etc ranging from $1M-$95.5M owed to various beneficiaries and companies across the globe (Asia, Europe, USA, Africa, and Australia) and submit the list of the unpaid beneficiaries/companies to the two (2) appointed official paying Banks for immediate payment of the fund.
 
In the course of our investigation, your email address/particulars were shortlisted among the first fifteen individuals yet to be paid hence this email.
YOUR FUND WHEN CALCULATED AMOUNTED TO $5,500,000 (FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND USD).
However, we received a petition Two weeks ago from one Mrs. Christina Morgan that you are dead. According to her, you died in an auto crash as such your fund should be paid to her as the apparent heir. She has also submitted her Bank account with Bank of America for the transfer of the fund to her.
 
To avoid undue delay or paying the fund to wrong individual/beneficiary, we have decided to contact you for confirmation. If we fail to hear from you after ONE WEEK, it will be assumed that the petition of Mrs. Morgan is true and the fund will be paid to her without further delay.
 
Therefore, we would like you to choose below your choice of fund reception:
 
(A. Bank Transfer
(B. Consignment (Hand to Hand Delivery)
 
 
Your full personal information is also required as below which will be needed for the transfer of your fund.
Full name and residential address, Next of kin, Occupation, Nationality, Telephone numbers, Scan the first page of your international passport or drivers license, recent passport photograph, send all via email attachment.
 
Your urgent response is always required because you have a limited time to execute this fund. Be free to call us any time for more information.
 
Yours Sincerely.
Mr. Ariel Stonehouse.
 

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