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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: "Miss Rebecca Smith." <ykoneh9@gmail.com>
Reply-To: rebecca_smiith@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2023 15:11:15 +0000
Subject: To serve as a guardian to this fund.

Hello Dear,

After having gone through your profile, I prayed and decided to
confide in you for this simple and sincere business bearing in mind
that one has to take some risks at times to survive trial times.

I am Miss Rebecca Smith, The only daughter to the late Mr. Laurent
Pascal Smith who was a very wealthy Gold and Diamond dealer. My father
was assassinated by unknown gunmen after his return trip from Europe
with my Mother. All the police efforts to track down the assassins of
my late Father and mother have not been successful, Hence I decided to
flee to a neighboring country where I have been since as a refugee
seeking asylum in a refugee camp there in Abidjan, Côte d'ivoire.

Meanwhile, before the death of my parents, my late father told me that
He deposited some amount with a bank here in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
where I am residing now. I have gone to the bank with the official
lodgement receipt of the money as issued to my father by the bank when
he deposited the money and the bank confirmed that the money is with
them. I have decided to invest this money and I need you to assist me
in receiving this money with your bank account while I join you for
investment in your country.

I am seeking your assistance to enable me to front you to the bank as
my foreign partner who will assist me in receiving this money from the
bank.

(1) To provide me with your detailed personal information which
includes, your full names, Contact address, bank account information
and your Telephone and fax numbers so that I can submit it to the bank
authorizing them to recognize and transfer the money into your bank
account as my foreign guardian.

(2) To serve as a guardian to this fund.

(3) To provide a good business where this money will be invested since
I am still a novice in the business world.

(4) To make arrangements for me to come over to your country to
further my education and to secure a resident permit in your country.

Moreover, I am willing to offer you 20 % of the total sum as
compensation for your effort/input after the successful transfer of
this money into your bank account and 5% for any expenses that might
incurred during the transfer process making it 25% of the total
amount.

Thanks and God bless
Sincerely,
Miss Rebecca Smith.

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