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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: "priye spiff" <priye_spiff29@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: priyespiff2006@yahoo.co.in
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 19:09:52 -0700
Subject: Treat As Urgent

Dear Friend,

I have the instruction of my cousin Mrs. Margaret Alamaesiegha, the wife of
the former Governor of Bayelsa State Chief DPS Alamaesiegha, who was
arrested in London in September ,2005 and charged with money laundering,
jumped bail and returned to Nigeria, was impeached and subsequently arrested
and is facing similar charges in Nigeria presently.

Prior to his arrest, my cousin told me and I verily believe her as I have
relevant supporting documents that they had in October stached the sum of
$15.5 m {fifteen million ,five hundred United States Dollars} with a private
finance firm in Europe in the name of Mr. Peter Solomon with a view to
investing same in some viable ventures overseas later.

Due to the present travails of the family, neither herself nor her husband
could have access to the funds any longer as they are under security watch.
She has therefore asked we look for a credible and trustworthy person who
would bear the name or act as the next of Kin to claim the funds on their
behalf.

The funds when retrieved from the company would be shared in the ratio of
10% for charity, 10% for you and the rest of 80% would be invest by you on
our
behalf for the minimun of 5 years.

Please reply immediately giving your details, so that the supporting
documents would be made available to you for the claim.

Yours faithfully

Rev. Dr. Priye Spiff


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