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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: MR RA WILLIAMS <lihongjun@bbac.com.cn>
Reply-To: <ra_williams07@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 13:38:19 -0400
Subject: RE: CHANGE OF ACCOUNT PARTICULARS ON YOUR BENEFICIARY FILE.

FROM THE DESK OF MR RA WILLIAMS
DIRECTOR, FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
TEL: +27 84 264 0982

Attn: Beneficiary

RE: CHANGE OF ACCOUNT PARTICULARS ON YOUR BENEFICIARY FILE.

My name is Mr Richard Andile Williams director foreign remittance department of First National Bank Johannesburg, South Africa. I discovered that your name and email address (in the Central Computer among the list of unpaid beneficiaries that was originated from Africa.

Your name appeared among the beneficiaries who will receive a part payment of US$10.5million and has been approved already for Payment but there is a situation here at the bank. Last Friday two foreigners (Mr. Tim Parker and Mr. Rowland Gulf) visited my office to inform me that they are your representatives from United States, whom you send to collecting your Funds on your behalf.

We in this bank do not understand why you sent these men to claim the fund on your behalf. If actually you want them to help you collect your fund, at least you should have informed me as the head of remittance department of this bank. They actually tendered some vital documents which proved that you actually sent them for the collection of these funds. Honestly, it really baffles me that you took such decision without my consent.

Here are the documents which they tender to this bank today:

1. LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION.
2. HIGH COURT INJUNCTION.
3. ORDER TO RELEASE.

These documents which they tendered to this Noble Bank are a clear proof that you sent them to claim the Funds for you. Finally, I told them to come back tomorrow morning and they promised to come back. As the person in charge of this transaction, I was supposed to release this Fund to them but I refused to do so because I wanted to hear from you first.

Due to the Nature of my job, I will not want to make any mistake in releasing this fund to anyone except you whom is the recognized bonafide beneficiary. Kindly clarify us on this issue before we make this payment to these foreigners whom came on your behalf. In receipt of this confidential Letter, you are required to email me immediately you receive it or call me using the above telephone number.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,
Mr. RA Williams.

如果您不是本电子邮件的收件人，请您立即通知我您收到的邮件有误，并删除此封邮件。谢谢您的合作。
If you are not the intended addressee please inform us immediately that you have received this e-mail in error, and delete it. We thank you for your cooperation.

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