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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: "uknational lottery" <uknationallotto@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:56:28 +0100
Subject: MAKE THE PAYMENT AND YOU WINNING WILL BE SEND TO YOU

Dear winner

  This is form the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY me the agant of the UK  LOTTERY you have to make the payment so that your winning can be send to you in the next 48hrs if you did not make the payment your winning can not be send to you you have to make the payment and the courier call us that you have 24hrs to make the payment.


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