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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: Thomas J <hide1013@yellow.megaegg.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Thomas J <thomasjohn697@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 19 May 2019 06:29:18 +0900 (JST)
Subject: i will wait for your response

How are you doing today?
My name is Major Thomas R John and I am a U.S soldier.
Right now I am in Syria where I and some of my soldiers are fighting the ISIS terrorist group. Few days ago I and my colleagues recovered some huge amount of money here during an operation against the ISIS terrorist group which we just shared yesterday and I want to move mine to a safe place and that is why I am contacting you through this mail because this is the only means of communication right now here.
I found your email address on the internet while searching for rightful person whom I can trust with this money until I am out of this place and I decided to email you to know if you are willing to do this with me.
I am willing to offer you 35% of the total amount which is Eleven Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($11.4 million USD). Please get back to me if you are willing to do the deal with me and I also want you to know that this is very legit.
Note that Your 35% is amounted to Three Million Nine Hundred and Ninety Thousand Dollars ($3,990,000 USD) and you are free to take it out from the $11.4 million dollar as soon as the money get to you and keep mine for me until I am out of this place.
Write me back via my email address at (thomasjohn697@yahoo.com) and I will put you through on how I planned moving the money to you.
Please reply me back if you are interested on this business and you are to keep this between both of us please.

Thank you
Thomas

Anti-fraud resources: