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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: hoffor@terra.com.mx
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2005 07:37:11 -0700
Subject: Partnership



DEAR PARTNER,

MY NAME IS HARRY OFFOR. THE MANAGER, CREDIT AND FOREIGN BILLS OF

PRUDENT BANK PLC. I AM WRITING IN RESPECT OF FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY

BANK WITH ACCOUNT NUMBER 14-255-2004/PBPLC/NIG WHO DIED IN A PLANE

CRASH (ETHIOPIAN AIRLINE 961) WITH OTHER PASSENGERS OM BOARD.

SINCE THE DEATH OF THIS CUSTOMER, I PERSONALLY HAVE WATCHED WITH KEEN

INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO ONE

HAS COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF US$15.5M (FIFTEEN MILLION-FIVE HUNDRED

THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) WHICH HAS BEEN WITH MY BANK FOR A VERY

LONG TIME. ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOSE NAME SHALL BE USED

AS THE NEXT OF KIN AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO BE THE NEXT OF KIN. IN VIEW


OF THIS I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S FOREIGN TRADE MISSION

AFTER I CONFIRMED THAT YOUR NAME COULD BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN.

THE REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS

OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A NIGERIAN


CANNOT STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER. I AGREED THAT 45% OF

THIS MONEY WOULD BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGN PARTNER IN RESPECT OF

PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT, WHILE 10% WOULD TAKE CARE OF ANY UNFORSEEN

EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSACTION WHILE 45%


WILL BE FOR ME.THEREAFTER, I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT

AS I AM ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT.

IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR

ACCOUNT AS ARRANGED, YOU MUST APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS A RELATION TO

THE DECEASED INDICATING YOUR BANK NAME, YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, YOUR

PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER, AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION AND

LOCATION WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED. UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR

REPLY, I WILL SEND YOU BY FAX OR E-MAIL THE APPLICATION AND THE NEXT

STEP TO TAKE. I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS

BUSINESS IS HITCH-FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR, AS

THE WHOLE REQUIRED ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE TRANSFER. YOU

SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER

THROUGH: hoffor@zwallet.com

YOUR'S RESPECTFULLY,

MR. HARRY OFFOR



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