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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: "Mr. George Williams" <grgiams@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 3 May 2005 17:36:26 -0700
Subject: GET BACK TO ME PLS

Dear Friend.

My name is Mr. George Williams.I am the Eastern region branch
manager of the International Commercial Bank of Ghana ltd, in
West Africa.I am a Christian. I do not want problems but I just
hope you can assist me. I write you this letter in good faith.

I am in control of the sum of three million, eight hundred and
fifty thousand US dollars ($3,850,000.00) which was an excess
of profit made by our Eastern region branch office in the last
quarter of the year 2003, which I have carefully placed in an
Escrow Call Deposit Account and did not declare this to my
head office, Can I really trust you to hold this money for me
until I arrive your country and pick it up myself and you deduct
30% of the total money as your commission?

All I need is for you to get me a good current account in your
bank where I can move this moneyI will discreetly give you all
the information concerning the account and the deposit so that
you can apply to the bank for the release of the money. There is
practically no risk involved; it will be simple bank-to-bank transfer.
I hope you understand my situation.

Thank you and God bless.

Yours truly,
Mr. George Williams.










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