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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: "Frank Wood" <obama@wfn3591s7.homepage.t-online.de>
Reply-To: <frankwoodd@live.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2011 10:37:15 -0700
Subject: Can You Be Trusted?

Dear Friend,
 
My name is Mr. Frank Wood; I am the personal assistant to Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, The former chief executive director of Oceanic Bank Plc, who was convicted for economic and financial crime by Nigeria Government. Her assets and properties estimated at N191billion has already been confiscated.
 
Prior to this period, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, instructed me to move the sum of (US$100,000,000.00) to a security & finance house abroad with the assistance of a diplomat, to avoid being confiscated by the government.
 
Therefore, I am seeking for trusted/reliable person that will assist Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, to claim the fund from the security & finance house where the funds is currently deposited, and lodge it into trusted bank account for a joint business venture.
 
If you are willing to assist Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, please indicate your interest by getting back to me as soon as you receive this message, so that I will give you the contact information of the security & finance house and the necessary document that will enable you claim the fund on behalf of Mrs. Cecilia Ibru.
Please be rest assured that this transaction is 100% risk free as we have contracted a diplomat who will guide you in claiming the fund from the company. Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, has instructed me to offer you 20% of (US$100,000,000.00) due to assistance that you are going to render, while 80% would be for Mrs. Cecilia Ibru.
 
Please do not disclose this transaction to anyone that would betray the trust that we repose in you as this fund is the only hope that Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, has for survival due to the fact that all her asset and properties have already been confiscated by the government. For a proper verification, I refer you to this
website:http://gidinoize.com/news-cecilia-ibru-sentenced-to-6-months-in-jail-for-bank-fraud/
 
Regards,
Mr. Frank Wood
Personal Assistance to Mrs. Cecilia Ibru

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