419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "% will be for you" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- miss-elizabeth@accountant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "GOOD DAY I AM MISS ELIZABETH JAMES, AN ACCOUNTANT FROM FINANCE FIRM!!!"
<James4@Elizabeth246.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <miss-elizabeth@accountant.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 02:35:13 +0530
Subject: GOOD DAY I AM MISS ELIZABETH JAMES,AN ACCOUNTANT FROM FINANCE FIRM!!!

Dear Friend
I am Miss Elizabeth James,
I am aware that this is not a conventional way to establish a relationship of trust, and I apologize for this unsolicited letter to you but, as you read you will realize see the need for my action. My name is Miss Elizabeth James An account manager to late Dr. Sanjay Krishna, a business Consultant and major sub contractor in Scotland, on the 27th December 2009, my Client, and his wife and their two kids were involved in an auto crash and It was unfortunate that they all lost their lives. For years now I have done a lot of researches to locate his relations to claim his Estate fund value all to no avail.
I contacted you because both of you come from the same country. I want to use You as next of kin to claim his Estate/Fund valued ($ 4.8 Million USD ) then transfer it to your country, before our government confiscate it or declared it unserviceable by the Finance Firm. I will provide the necessary document for your back up since I am his personal account manager before his death.
Note: 40% will be for you if you are interested do kindly get back to me urgently...
Regards
Miss Elizabeth James.
miss-elizabeth@accountant.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam