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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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.

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: "MIKE ALEX" <mikealex@juno.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mikealex@web-mail.com.ar
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 12:35:43 -0800
Subject: INVESTMENT

MIKE ALEX.
LAGOS NIGERIA


SIR,

IT IS WITH A HEART FULL OF HOPE THAT I WRITE, SOLICITING FOR YOUR STRICT CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION. THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF ITS NATURE AS
BEING CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET. YOU HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED BY A FRIEND IN FOREIGN OFFICE OF NIGERIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES, WHO ASSURED ME OF YOUR ABILITY AND RELIABILITIY TO EXECUTE A TRANSACTION OF
GREAT MAGNITUDE.

I AM AN ACCOUNTANT WITH BEACON NIG. LTD. A FOREIGN OIL COMPANY BASED IN LAGOS, NIGERIA. BEACON WAS INVOLVED IN PROSPECTING, DRILLING AND BUNKERING OF OIL AT HIGH SEA (OFFSHORE), WITH EXPATRIATE CONSISTING MAJORITY OF THE STAFF STRENGTH.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE EXPATRIATES GOT INTO AN ILLEGAL SALE OF OIL AND THE MONEY FROM IT TRANSFERRED THROUGH A SECURITY COMPANY OUT OF THE COUNTRY BUT WITH A SECURITY STAMP ON IT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA DISCOVERED THE ILLEGAL DEAL, REVOKED THEIR LICENCE AND THE
EXPARTRIATES WERE REPATRIATED.

SO, BY VIRTUE OF MY POSITION AS THE ACCOUNTANT OF THE COMPANY, I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION DOCUMENTS CONTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT FOUR OF THESE
TRUNK BOXES DEPOSITED WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY. THE CONTENT OF THESE BOXES IS FOURTY FIVE MILLION AND NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES
DOLLARS (US$45.9M).

I HAVE PUT IN AN APPLICATION WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY TO TRANSFER THESE BOXES TO THEIR CORRESPONDENCE OFFICE IN AMERICA OR EUROPE WHICH THEY HAVE OBLIGED. AND BEING THAT THIS DEAL WAS BEEN CARRIED OUT BY FOREIGN FIRM, I NEED A TRUSTWORTHY FOREIGNER LIKE YOU THAT WILL ASSIST ME TO A LOGICAL CONCLUSION OF THIS PENDING BUSINESS WHICH BOTH OF US WILL BOUNDTO BENEFIT EARNESTLY. ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO STAND BEFORE THE SECURITY COMPANY AND SIGN AS ONE OF EXPATRIATES TO ENABLE YOU CLAIM THE MONEY
AND PAY IT INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.

PLEASE, NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK-FREE, FOR EVERY MACHINERIES HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE FOR SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION.

REMEMBER, THAT I HAVE WITH ME ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS THAT WILL PROVE THAT THE MONEY IS FOR US. I EXPECT YOU TO BE TRUSTWORTHY AND KIND
ENOUGH TO KEEP MY OWN SHARE, WHEN THE MONEY HIT YOUR ACCOUNT.

I HEREBY AGREE TO COMPENSATE YOUR SINCERE AND CANDID EFFORT IN THIS REGARD WITH 25% OF THE FUND AFTER THE TRANSFER AND 5% (PERCENT) WILL BE
SET ASIDE FOR ANY EXPENSES BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION, TELEPHONE BILLS ETC. WILL BE SETTLED FROM THIS PERCENTAGE, WHILE 70% WILL BE FOR ME AND TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES. THIS DEAL WILL BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SEVEN (7) WORKING DAYS.

I WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU, AND SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS TRANSACTION. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT
OF THIS PROPOSAL.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MIKE ALEX.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam