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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: emaaiijohnk1@gmail.com
Date:
Subject:

Hello, my name is Mr. John Kwaku. I am a branch manager Eco Bank Ghana, West Africa. I am account manager to one of my late customer, he died 6 years ago and he deposited the sum of $3.8m USD Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars in our bank here and non of his friends, family members and business associates is aware of this deposited money.

So I want you to provide an account so that the bank will transfer the money into the account you will provide, then after you have received the $3.8m I will come over to your country we will share the money 50-50. If you are interested pls contact me right now on my private email ( redacted@domain.name ) there I will furnish you with more information on how the bank will commence the transfer immediately.

I will wait for your kind response.

Thanks John Kwaku.

Anti-fraud resources: