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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. JOHN ANDERSON" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jonhpeck@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Apr 2019 18:50:44 +0100
Subject: RE: PROTECTION OF YOUR US$10.5M IN YOUR FAVOR cb

International Monetary Fund Logo
IMF WORLD REGULATORY OFFICE
INTERNATIONAL FUNDS REGULATORY AUTHORITY
INTER-CONTINENTAL DEBT RECONCILIATION DEPT.
FROM THE DESK OF: HONORABLE MR. JOHN ANDERSON DIRECTOR; IMF WORLD
REGULATORY OFFICE.
 
ATTENTION: PROVISION OF AFFIDAVIT OF CLAIM CERTIFICATE FOR LEGAL COVER/ PROTECTION OF US$10.5M IN YOUR FAVOR .
 
ATTN: DEAR,
 
AFTER A SERIOUS AND LENGTHY MEETING TODAY HELD BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON YOUR BEHALF IT WAS DECIDED IN YOUR OWN FAVOR AND BEST INTEREST TO REDUCE THE PAYMENT FOR THE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE TO $85 dollars SO THAT YOU CAN MEET UP WITH THE PAYMENT PLEASE YOU ARE GIVEN ONLY 48HOURS TO MAKE THIS PAYMENT SO THAT WE CAN RELEASE YOUR $10.5MUS IN OUR CARE SO WE ADVICE YOU TO PAY THE $85 dollars THROUGH THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER TO THE BELOW INFORMATION AND SEND THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO ME.
 
RECEIVERS NAME: Philip Clement
AMOUNT:  $85
ADDRESS:  NIGERIA
M.T.C.N NUMBER................
SENDER NAME AND ADDRESS..........
 
PLEASE GO AND SEND IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEND TO ME THE PAYMENT DETAILS IMMEDIATELY.WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU AS OUR WORD IS OUR BOND TO YOU.
 
CONFIRM THE RECEIPT OF THIS E-MAIL BY YOU IMMEDIATELY AND BE REST ASSURED THAT YOU WILL BE SMILING TO YOUR BANK ONCE YOU COMPLY WITH THE ABOVE DIRECTIVES NOW.
 
THANK YOU.
MR. JOHN ANDERSON

Anti-fraud resources: