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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: Mark Kate <mark_kate5@att.net>
Reply-To: mark_kate11000@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:38:46 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Miss Kate Mark


Re: Miss Kate Mark
Abidjan , Cote d'Ivoire   
 
Dear,

My name is Miss Kate Mark. I am a girl of 17 years from the  Ivory Coast . I am the only child of my parents and as I write to you now, none of them are alive.  
 
I lost my mother when I was four years old and my father died last year as a result of protracted illness due to food poisoning.  
 
 After the death of my father, two of my uncles conspired against me and sold my father's properties to a Japanese businessman because I am a girl.

I have some money that my late father left in the bank and my name is used as the next of kin. All the documents of this money are with my late father’s lawyer for the sake of safe keeping.  
 
I have tried to withdraw the money so that I can start a better life and take care of myself, but the bank director said that I will need someone who is going to be my guardian to help me with the investment of the money. I asked the director why and he said that this is as a result of the agreement the bank had with my late father.

He advised me to provide a trustee who will help me and invest the money and this is the reason why I am contacting you.
 
I need your help in the following ways:  
 
1.  To help me and provide an account where this money will be transfered to. 
 
2.  To help me and make an arrangement of where I will continue with my education. 
 
3.  To help me to come over to your country as soon as the money is transfered into your account.
 
The amount of money that is in the bank is Six million three hundred thousand United States dollars ($6,300,000.00) and this money was meant for the building of my father’s new estate before his death.  
 
You will help me to place the money in a more profitable business investment in your Country.
 
You will also help by getting a nice University in your country so that I can complete my studies.
 
I am promising to compensate you with 20% of the total money for your services and the balance shall be my capital in your establishment.
 
Please, I want you to keep this  to your self. And I do not want you to disclose it to anyone until I come over to your country because I am afraid of my uncles and the people around me.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Kate Mark

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