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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: "James Chan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jamesmrrchan@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2023 04:08:53 -0700
Subject: Congratulations

Hello ,
This is to   inform  you   that the World Bank Group in conjunction with International  Monetary  Fund (IMF)  has mandated   you as the beneficiary of an overdue fund of US$8,500,000.00 (Eight  Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollar )
Furtherance to this payment , the  US$8,500,000.00 (Eight  Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollar )  was your pending fund with  World Bank Payment Reconciliation  Department  and ready to release to you and for that your advise to send the following details to Payment Reconclillation Director:
 
Name: Steven Davis
Office Address: 525, 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20037 USA
E-mail:     sttdaviis@hotmail.com
Tel:  + 1 (580)-441-7533
Kindly send the following information to him as directed :
Your Name............................................
Your Country ..........................................
Your Address ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Your Telephone ...................................
Congratulations
Regards
James Chan 

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