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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: Johnson Koffi <johnsonkoffi_004@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 08:06:16 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: GOOD DAY////




FROM THE OFFICE OF MR JOHNSON KOFFI,
MANAGER=A0 TREASURY DEPARTMENT
INTERNATIONAL BANK
OF AFRICA.
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=20
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 STRICTLY=A0 CONFIDENTIAL
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 =A0-----------=
-------------
DEAR FRIEND,
=A0
I CANNOT IMAGINE THE SUPRISE THIS WILL BRING TO YOU, BUT BE REST ASSURED IT=
IS IN GOOD FAITH AND FRIENDLY INTENTIONS,FROM A FRIEND IN DEAR NEED OF YOU=
R ASSISTANCE ,BEARING IN=A0 MIND THE CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIRED IN THIS ABSOL=
UTE RISK-FREE BUSINESS.
=A0
I AM MR JOHNSON KOFFI, THE MANAGER OF THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIO=
NAL BANK OF AFRICA HEAD OFFICE IN LOME-TOGO. RECENTLY,WE DISCOVERED A DORMA=
NT ACCOUNT WITH A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY VALUED USD 17,000,000.00(SEVENTEEN M=
ILLION US DOLLARS)THAT BELONG TO ONE OF OUR NUMEROUS CUSTOMERS(MR MATSUDA, =
RIKA) WHO PERISHED IN A PLANE CRASH (KOREAN AIR FLIGHT 801) WITH THE WHOLE =
PASSENGERS ABOARD ON AUGUST 6TH 1997.
=A0
BELOW IS THE WEBSITE OF THE PLANE CRASH
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/06/guam.passenger.list/
SINCE THE DEMISE OF THIS OUR CUSTOMER,I PERSONALLY I HAVE WATCHED WITH KEEN=
INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN,BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE,AS NO ONE HAS =
COME TO CLAIM THIS FUND FOR A VERY LONG TIME. BECAUSE OF THIS WE HAVE DECID=
ED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN,AS NO ONE HAS=
COME UP TO BE THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED TO DATE .
=A0
AS A=A0 CIVIL SERVANT WITH THE BANK AND A TOGOLAISE I CANNOT STAND AS A NEX=
T OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.IT IS UPON THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT I AND MY COLLEAGUE=
S IN THIS DEPARTMENT DECEIDED TO CONTACT YOU TO COLLABORRATE WITH YOU TO PU=
LL OUT THIS DORMANT FUND,WE HAVE IT IN MIND TO GIVE YOU A=A0 25% OF THIS TO=
TAL FUND IF THIS PROPOSAL MEETS YOUR INTEREST.=20
=A0
URGENTLY REACH ME THROUGH MY=A0 EMAIL ADDRESS=A0 OR TELEPHONE NUMBER TO ENA=
BLE ME GIVE YOU THE FULL DETAILS OF THIS TRANSACTION AND HOW IT IS GOING TO=
WORK OUT.
WHAT I WANT FROM YOU IS FOR YOU TO ACT AS THE DECEASED NEXT OF KIN.
=A0
AND IN=A0 REGARDS TO THAT FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO YOU A=
S SOON AS I RECIEVE YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE VIA
ANTICIPATING YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.
=A0
BEST REGARDS,
MR JOHNSON KOFFI.=0A=0A=0A

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