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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: "SILAS STEVE" <silas_steve20033@yahoo.fr> (may be fake)
Reply-To: silas_steve20033@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2005 08:41:08 +0000
Subject: SILAS STEVE

FROM:SILAS STEVE
ABIDJAN COTE D' IVOIRE
TEL:+225-07- 35-94-87
DEAR,
I AM SILAS STEVE, THE ONLY CHILD OF LATE MR AND MRS
STEVE, MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED IN ABIDJAN, THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST BEFORE HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR OUTING TO DISCUSS ON A BUSINESS DEAL. WHEN MY MOTHER DIED ON THE 21ST
OCTOBER 1986, MY FATHER TOOK ME SO SPECIAL BECAUSE
IAM MOTHERLESS.
BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 24TH SEPTEMBER 2004
IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN ABIDJAN. HE SECRETLY
CALLED ME ON HIS BED SIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A
SUM OF USD16,500,000 (SIXTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) LEFT IN A SUSPENSE
ACCOUNT IN A BANK HERE IN ABIDJAN, THAT HE USED
MY NAME AS HIS ONLY SON FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN
DEPOSITING THE FUND.
HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF HIS
WEALTH THAT HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS
ASSOCIATES, THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER
IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS
MONEY AND USE IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE ,(SUCH AS
REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT).
SIR, IAM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE
FOLLOWING WAYS.

1) TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD
BE TRANSFERED
2) TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND.
3) TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR
COUNTRY TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION AND TO SECURE A
RESIDENTIAL PERMIT FOR ME IN YOUR COUNTRY.
MOREOVER, SIR, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 15% OF THE
TOTAL SUM AS COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT INPUT AFTER
THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR
NOMINATED ACCOUNT OVERSEA. 5% FOR ANY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THIS TRANSACTION.
FURTHERMORE, YOU CAN INDICATE YOUR OPTION TOWARDS
ASSISTING ME AS I BELIEVE THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD
BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SEVEN (7) DAYS YOU SIGNIFY
INTEREST TO ASSIST ME.
ANTICIPATING HEARING FROM YOU SOON.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS.
BEST REGARDS
SILAS STEVE




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