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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "m ohammed" <mohammedabacha1001@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 03:54:48 +0100
Subject: Please Read This Message

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

HOW ARE YOU AND FAMILY

PLEASE BEFORE YOU GO THROUGH THIS MESSAGE JUST VISIT
THIS WEBSITE FIRST BEFORE READING THE MESSAGE BECAUSE
WE WANT YOU PLEASE TO HELP US OUT OF THIS SITUATION.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3333557.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2282366.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1935631.stm

YOU MAY BE SURPRISE TO RECEIVE THIS VERY MAIL MESSAGE
FROM ME, SINCE IT IS COMING FROM SOMEBODY YOU HAVE NOT
MET BEFORE BUT HOWEVER I HAVE PERSONALLY DECIDED TO
CONTACT YOU AS A FAMILY AND WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE
ALMIGHTY GOD TO HELP.

I AM MOHAMMED ABACHA, SON OF THE LATE NIGERIAN HEAD OF
STATE ( GENERAL SANI ABACHA) WHO DIED ON AN ACTIVE
SERVICE. I AM 36 YEARS OLD. EVER SINCE THE DEATH OF MY
FATHER THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN FRUSTRATING
OUR FAMILY FOR NO JUST CAUSE AND THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING
THINGS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US. THEY SEIZE ALL MY
FATHER'S PROPERTIES AND ALL ACCOUNT FROZEN, MY MOTHER
HAS BEEN ON HOUSE ARREST FOR NO JUST CAUSE. BUT THE
FEDRAL GOVERMENT DID NOT KNOW THAT MY FATHER DEPOSITED
SUM OF $40 MILLION US DOLLARS. IN EUROPE COUNTRY.

PLEASE WE WANT YOU TO HELP US BY DEPOSITING THE MONEY
INTO YOUR ACCOUNT BECAUSE THE SECURITY COMPANY WHERE
THE FUND IS NOW CURRENTLY LYING HAS ADVISE US TO
RELOCATE THE FUND BEFORE PEOPLE AND THE PRESENT
ADMINISTRATION WILL KNOW ABOUT IT.

PLEASE WE WANT YOU TO HELP US BY SAVE GUARDING THE
FUND SINCE OUR LAWYER HAS ADVISE THAT HE WILL TRY HIS
BEST AS TO MAKE SURE WE RECEIVE THE FUND THROUGH THE
SECURITY COMPANY IN EUROPE, PLEASE WE WANT YOU TO HELP
US TO SAFE THIS FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

WE HAVE AS WELL COLLECTIVELY AGREED TO REWARD YOU WITH
35% OF THE TOTAL FUND IF ONLY YOU WILL BE WILLING TO
HELP, AS YOU MAY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS
HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AND VERY URGENT. I DON'T WANT ANY
BODY IN NIGERIA TO HEAR ABOUT THIS. THE NIGERIAN
GOVERNMENT HAS CLOSED ALL MY LATE FATHER'S LOCAL AND
FOREIGN ACCOUNT. PLEASE I DON'T WANT THEM TO RECOVER
THIS FUND, THAT IS WHY I HAVE PERSONALLY DECIDED TO
CONTACT YOU IF YOU CAN HELP US SAVE THIS FUND INTO
YOUR ACCOUNT.

PLEASE REPLY ME IMMEDIATELY ON E-MAIL ADDRESS
BELOW IF YOUR WILLING TO HELP US,
AND ALSO SEND YOUR MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBER.

mohammedabacha205205@yahoo.co.uk or
mohammedabacha1222@yahoo.co.uk

WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY.

MAY ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

THANKS.
MOHAMMED ABACHA

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