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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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Fraud email example:

From: mark_peterson@tiscali.it
Date: Sat, 6 Nov 2004 02:17:33 +0100
Subject: proposal

Mr. Mark Peterson
Head, Mining and Finance
Standard Bank London
United Kingdom.
mark_peterson@myway.com

Dear Friend,

Good day to you,

My name is Mark peterson, head mining and finance with standard bank london.
We had a foreign client an American national and a businessman who deposited
a huge sum of money (TWENTY-SIX MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED SATES
DOLLARS), with our bank.

Eventually, this customer died as a result of a fatal plane crash with other
passengers on board in 1999 but since then we have not had anybody coming
for the claims as the next of kin.

A situation I have monitored closely with my position in the bank. Now having
monitored this deposit and managed it over the years before his death, and
hence nobody has showed up as the next of kin for the past one year plus,
I have removed the file to my private vault.

I now solicit for your assistance to present you as the next of kin since
you share the same surname as every other arrangement has been concluded
by me and I am only waiting for a foreigner to enable me move the funds
to his account.
This does not have any risk attached to it, as I will handle all the internal
documentations.
Your interest will be negotiable before we commence the operation.

I look forward to hearing from you.
please reply to my private box mark_peterson@myway.com
Regards,
Mr. Mark Peterson.


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