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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: "steve igho" <steve_igho@msn.com>
Reply-To: steveigho@zwallet.com
Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 13:36:10 +0000
Subject: GOODDAY

Dept. of Mineral and Energy
Pretoria, South Africa.

Dear friend,
I write to seek your cooperation as my foreign partner and your assistanceto enable us to own properties and invest in the stable economy of your
country. I apologize if this mail does not suit your personal or business ethics.
My names are Dr. Steve Igho. We are making this venture proposal to you in strict confidence. As senior civil servants in the South Africa Government,the South African civil service laws(Code of Conduct bureau)forbids us to own a foreign account. The money we have in our possession is an overdue payment bill totaling Fourteen Million, Two Hundred Thousand US Dollar (US$14,200,000.00)
which we want to transfer abroad with the assistance and co-operation of a company/ or an individual to receive the said funds, via a reliable Bank Account.
If you will like to assist us as a partner, then indicate your interest after which we shall both discuss on the modalities. All other information
to facilitate the remittance of the funds will be
revealed to you in due course. For your assistance, your share of the entire sum will be 30% of the total sum, 60% for us and 10% will be used to settle taxation and other miscellaneous expenses in the course of transferring the funds to your account.
Please indicate your direct telephone and direct fax number when replying this business proposal I will call you when necessary.
If you are not interested, please also indicate so that it will enable me to contact other foreign partner with recommendations to carry out this deal.
A swift acknowledgment on the receipt of this mail will be appreciated.
Thank you and God bless you.
Best regards,
Steve Igho.

Anti-fraud resources: