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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "chen guan" <info@w.cn> (may be fake)
Reply-To: chenguan1@w.cn
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:31:23 +0800 (MYT)
Subject: Business Proposition

Dear Friend,

I have a business suggestion for you. let me start by introducing myself
to you fully. I am Mr. Chen Guan, Foreign Operations Manager of the Bank
of China (Hong kong). Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client Ali Hussein
who was with the Iraqi forces and also a businessman made a numbered fixed
deposit for 12 calendar months, with a value of Seventeen Million Three
Hundred Thousand United State Dollars only into an account with my branch.
Upon maturity several notice was sent to him, even during the war . Again
after the war another notification was sent and still no response came
from him. We later found out that the Ali Hussein and his family had been
killed during the war in bomb blast that hit their home. After further
investigation it was also discovered that Ali Hussein did not declare any
next of kin in his official papers including the paper work of his bank
deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he was at my office that
no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank. So, Seventeen Million
Three Hundred Thousand United State Dollars(US$17,300,000.00) is still
lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it. What
bothers me most is that according to the laws of my country at the
expiration 7years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong
Government if nobody applies to claim the funds. Against this backdrop, my
suggestion to you is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand as the
next of kin to Ali Hussein so that you will be able to receive his funds.
Please reply to my private email for more Details(chenguan1@w.cn)Thank you
for your time and understanding

Kind Regards,
Mr. Chen Guan.

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