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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: "emilia.bali4@zipmail.com.br" <emilia.bali4@zipmail.com.br>
Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 08:36:24 -0300
Subject: Miss Emilia Bali.

Dearest One,
 
Greetings and I pray that this mail will meet you in good health and please let this message not be a surprise to you because I lay all the trust in you before i decided to disclose this confidential information to you due to I need your help.
 
I am miss Emilia Bali, the only daughter of my late parents  Mr & Mrs Bali. My father was a highly reputable business  magnet (a cocoa,diamond and gold merchant).It was sad to say that he passed away mysteriously after a business
trips abroad.
 
Though  his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been  masterminded by one of my uncle,but God knows the truth! Sorry to say that I never know the caring of my mother because she  died when I was just 4 years old which made me the best man for my late father and he never hide anything from me.
  
On his arrival from his trip to France,he explained to me the reason  why he made the trip and also told me that he has the sum of Six million,Five hundred thousand United State Dollars.(USD$6.500,000)deposited in one of the security company's here in Abidjan Ivory coastWest Africa, which he disguised and declared the box to contain familyvaluables instead ofmoney,by this way the company  does not know the true content of the box.
  
The deposit document which I have in my possession carries my late father's name as the depositor, while I'm the next of kin  on the same document. I evacuated from Sierra Leone because of this deposit that was made by my late father here in Abidjan, Cote d Ivoire.
  
I have no documentary problems with the security company but the  only problem is the nature of deposit that was made by my late  father which I will explain to you once you declare your willingness  to assist me. Really, the death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life.
 
I am in a sincere desire of your humbleassistance in this reg ards.Your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded.
 
Now permit me to ask these few questions:-
 
1.Can you honestly help me?
 
2.I need to know what you need me to offer you in returns of your assistance to me?
Thanks and I await your response.
 
Yours Truly
 
 
Miss Emilia Bali.

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