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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: "prince johnson" <princejohnson002@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2005 09:31:12 +0000
Subject: HELP

FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS
TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN GENUINE
APPROVAL CONSIDERING THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER BEFORE, I WISH
TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU.

I AM PRINCE JOHNSON FROM LIBERIA,WEST AFRICA. I WRITES TO INFORM YOU MY
DESIRE TO INVEST,AND TO BUY A LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY. I AM THE ONLY
SON OF MR. WEAH JOHNSON, HE WAS A DIAMOND/GOLD MERCHANT IN MY COUNTRY.MY
FATHER HAD A BULLET SHOT BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING OUT OF MY
COUNTRY,AND DUE TO PRESENT CRISIS THAT IS OCCURING IN MY COUNTRY(LIBERIA).
WHILE U.N.PEACE KEEPING FORCE RESCUED MY FATHER,HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR
MEDICAL TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED. BEFORE HE DIED HE REAVEALED TO ME
ABOUT THE BOXES CONTAINING $8 MILLION US DOLLARS.WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A
SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA FOR SAFE KEEPING. MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE
CONTENT OF THE BOXES TO THE SECURITY COMPANY.TO AVIOD THE OFFICIALS FROM
RAISING EYE BROWS TO THE FUNDS.

PRESENTLY I AM HERE IN GHANA TO NOTIFY THE SECURITY COMPANY FOR THE
CLAIMS,AND I AM STAYING IN THE REFUGEE CAMP. THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO LECTURE
ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY,BECAUSE MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS
DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN AFRICA TO AVIOD SUSPICIONS,AND DUE TO
MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING
AFRICAN COUNTRIES,THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD. FOR YOUR MUTUAL
ASSISTANCE, MYSELF HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 20%OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE
MONEY.

I HAVE ALL VITAL DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT AND THE OWNERSHIP WHICH I
CAN SEND TO YOU THROUGH ATTACHMENT NOTE:I HAVE NEVER DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY
PERSON APART FROM YOU,SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS A TOP SECRET
TO YOURSELF ALONE.WHICH I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR DIRECT
TELEPHONE NUMBER AND PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THIS
TRANSACTION.

BEST REGARDS,

PRINCE JOHNSON.


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