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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: John Desmond <jdesmond006@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: jdesmond006@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:32:44 +0700
Subject: FROM JOHN DESMOND




Dear Friend,

I am John Desmond, a solicitor and legal practitioner based in United
Kingdom. I need your assistance to execute a deal please. My client
passed on few months ago leaving the sum of £12,400,000(twelve
million four hundred thousand pounds sterling) in to be shared among
those he left behind, and as his friend and personal Attorney I have a
major role to play in listing the beneficiaries as he died without a
will. For your information there are only two persons involved and
fortunately they are neither aware of his death nor what he left
behind. Write me back immediately for details if you are interested,
and don't forget to include your phone number please.

Best regards.

John Desmond (Esq)





Anti-fraud resources: