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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: george smith <georgesmith4574@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 10:55:06 +0700
Subject: CAN I COMPLATELY TRUST YOU???

CAN I COMPLATELY TRUST YOU???

Greetings, Hello, Please take a little time to read this message,I
discovered a dormant account in my office, as Group finance director with a
Bank here . My further investigations revealed to me that the owner died
many years back with any formal instruction on his next of kin, It will be
in my interest to transfer this fund ,Thirty Million United States Dollars
($30,000,000,00) in an account offshore, i have spoken to an attorney and
he will arrange all the supporting documents to make this claim as a next
of kin to the late account owner so that our bank can approve it. If you
can be a collaborator/partner to this please indicate interest immediately
for us to proceed. Remember this is absolutely confidential, as I am
seeking your assistance to be as the beneficiary of this unclaimed funds,
and i will do the part of an insider in the bank by feeding you all the
necessary information needed to prove your claims, since we are not allowed
to operate a foreign account, Your contact phone numbers and name will be
necessary for this effect, I have reposed my confidence in you and hope
that you will not disappoint me. Thanks for your co-operation
My Regards,
Mr. George Smith

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