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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: "Joy Tony" <jjoytony@fastwebmail.it>
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 12:49:53 +0000
Subject: PLEASE I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE


PLEASE I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE
DEAR ONE,

I AM MISS.JOY ECHIDIMA TONY, THE ONLY DAUGHTER OF LATE MR AND MRS.TONY
ECHIDIMA JASPA. MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED IN
GUINEA-BISSAU, BEFORE HE WAS KILLED BY THE REBELS. BEFORE HIS DEATH MY
MOTHER DIED EARLIER, AND WHEN MY MOTHER DIED ON THE 21ST OCTOBER 2003, MY
FATHER TOOK ME SO SPECIAL BECAUSE I AM MOTHERLESS. AM WRITING YOU THIS EMAIL
FROM COTE D'IVOIRE WHERE I RAN TO FOR MY DEAR LIFE.

BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 3TH JAN 2006 IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN
GUINEA-BISSAU. HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS
A SUM OF US$12,500,000 (TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND, UNITED STATES
DOLLARS) LEFT IN A BANK IN COTE D'IVOIRE, HE ADVISED ME THAT I SHOULD SEEK
FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER IN ANY COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS
MONEY AND USE IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE, (SUCH AS REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT).

IT IS BASED ON THIS THAT I CONTACTED YOU AND I AM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR
ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.

1)TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO.

2)TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY AFTER THE MONEY
HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO YOU.

MOREOVER, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 25% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS COMPENSATION FOR
YOUR EFFORT/INPUT AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOU. PLEASE,
AM ASKING YOU IN THE NAME OF GOD TO HELP ME ACHIEVE THIS MY DREAM SO THAT MY
LATE PARENTS WILL BE HAPPY WHEREVER THEY ARE IN THE SPIRIT WORLD.

I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS

MISS.JOY ECHIDIMA TONY

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