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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: "mike cook" <cookmike66@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: cook_mike11@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 13:03:03 -0600
Subject: YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED

DEAR FRIEND,

I MUST CRAVE YOUR INDULGENCE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AS MR. MIKE COOK,
ANAUDIT OFFICER IN UNION BANK PLC BRANCH OFFICE. I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH
INTERNATIONAL WEB DIRECTORIES. IN THE DISCHARGE OF MY DUTY, I STUMBLED ON
THIS DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT THAT HAS REMAINED DORMANT FOR SIX YEARS NOW WITH
THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY ($30,000,000.00) IN IT.

ON PERSONAL INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE ACCOUNT HOLDER LATE
ANDREAS SCHRANNER DIED ON PLANE CRASH ACCIDENT WITH THE MEMBERS OF HIS
FAMILY, SON INLAW AND GRAND CHILDREN WHO SUPPOSE BE THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE
AMOUNT.

YOU ARE ADVISE TO TAKE A LOOK ON HOMEPAGE BELOW:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

I AM WRITING YOU SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP TO CLAIM
THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE NEXT OF KIN HENCE THE
DEPOSITOR WAS A FOREIGNER.

IT'S SIMPLE PROCESS THAT WILL TAKE A SHORT WHILE TO TRANSFER THIS $30
MILLION INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. ACCORDING TO OUR FINANCIAL LAW, AFTER THIS YEAR,
THE BANK MANAGEMENT WILL CONFISCATE THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AS UNCLAIM BILL AND
WILL TRANSFER IT INTO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT IF NO ONE APPLIES FOR
CLAIM.IF I HEAR FROM YOU, I WILL TELL YOU THE OPERATIONAL METHOD WE CAN USE
TO CLAIM THIS SAID FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT. AND ALSO
INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND PHONE NUMBER FOR VOICE COMMUICATION.

SINCERELY YOURS,

MR MIKE COOK.


Anti-fraud resources: