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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: "GRACE KOUNATE" <grace_kounate@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: grace2005ci@yahoo.ie
Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 00:22:23 -0800
Subject: CRY FOR HELP

CRY FOR HELP
FROM: GRACE KOUNATE
RUE DE LE JARDIN
01 BP 1244 ABJ 01
ABIDJAN-COTE D'IVOIRE
WEST AFRICA.

PERMIT TO INFORM YOU ABOUT MY DESIRE TO GO INTO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH
YOU.
I AM MISS GRACE KOUNATE, THE ONLY CHILD OF LATE MR AND MRS JOHNSON KOUNATE,
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.

WHEN MY MOTHER DIED ON THE 20th NOVEMBER 2000, MY FATHER TOOK ME SO SPECIAL
BECAUSE I AM MOTHERLESS. BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 29TH JUNE 2004 IN
APRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN ABIDJAN.HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND
TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A SUM OF US$7,000,000(SEVEN MILLION UNITED STATES
DOLLARS) LEFT IN A SUSPENCE ACCOUNT IN A LOCAL BANK HERE IN ABIDJAN, THAT HE
USED MY NAME AS HIS ONLY DAUGTHER FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSIT OF THE
FUND.

HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS 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, SIR, I AM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE AND
IDEA.

I WANT YOU TO SERVE AS THE BENEFICIARY/GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND SINCE I AM ONLY
21 YEARS AND TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY AFTER
THIS MONEY HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO YOU.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 NORMINATED ACCOUNT OVERSEAS.FURTHER
MORE,YOU CAN INDICATE YOUR OPTION TOWARDS ASSISTING ME AS I BELIEVE THAT
THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED WITHIN A SHORT TIME.

HOPPING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS
GRACE KOUNATE


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