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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: "Mrs.Catherine Windy" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrscathwindy22@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 03:25:34 -0700
Subject: From Ms. Catherine Windy(Please, Reply)

Hello Good friend,
 
Greetings in the name of GOD. I am Mrs. Catherine Windy from South
Africa. I was married to the Late Dr. David Windy, who worked with the
Kuwait Embassy here in Nigeria,for nine years before he died in the
year 2005.We were married for eleven years and did not have
children.He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days.
Before his death we were both happily married.Since his death I have
decided not to re-marry or have a child outside of marriage to him.
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of $12M(Twelve
Million U.S.Dollars) in Commercial Bank here in Nigeria.
 
Presently, this money is still under the safe keeping of the Bank here
in Nigeria.Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the
next three months due to my cancer problems.Having known my condition,
I decided to donate this fund to charitable home or to a reliable
individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct
herein. I want a person that will use this fund on orphanages and
widows propagating the word of almighty GOD.
 
I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit
this money and my husband's relatives are not trustworthy and I don't
want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by them. I don't
want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly manner.
Hence the reasons for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of
death hence I know where I am going. I don't need any telephone
communication in this regard atleast for now because of my health,
since my husband's relatives are always around me. I dont want them to
know about this development. With GOD all things are possible.
 
As soon as I receive your reply I will forward your personal
information to my lawyer and he will contact you and aswell forward
your personal informations to the Finance company here in Nigeria, so
that they will contact you as the legal owner of this fund before
releasing the fund into your account. My Lawyer will also issue you a
letter of authority that will empower you as the original-beneficiary
of this fund. Delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for
another reliable individual for this same purpose.
 
Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein.
Hoping to hear from you as soon as possible. Remain blessed.
 
Yours truly,
Mrs.Catherine Windy

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