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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: James Patrick <flottan2204@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: jjpatrick10@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2013 12:19:57 -0800 (PST)
Subject: My client.

Dear Sir ,
I sent you mail two weeks ago but got no reply. It is about my client who died in Syria 2012; he was an oil merchant. I had to contact you
in this matter as you bear the same last name with my late client, and hopefully believe that you will save the situation at hand.

Since his death I have received several letters from his bank requesting me to present his next-of-kin that will claim the money he
left in his account. I have searched and discovered that he has no existing next-of-kin, it was in the
course of my search that I came across your name and contact details and decided that since you bear the same last name with him, it will
be better to present you to the bank as his next-of-kin so that we claim the money and share it.

I have worked out the modalities by which the deal will be successfully done with due legal backup, if you are interested write
back to me or phone through this number; +22966578972.

Best regard,
James Patrick Esq.

Anti-fraud resources: