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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <dmaaboah@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2014 06:44:40 -0400
Subject: For your assistance please.

Attn: Sir/ Madam,

For your assistance please.

Based on the information gathered from the Ministry of Trade & Industry, I write to solicit your assistance for this transaction believing that you will not disappoint us. We have Fifty Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars (US$57.5m), which we made over time, from contracts awarded to a foreign firm in the Petroleum ministry in my country Ghana in West Africa.

In order to benefit from the project, the sum of US$57.5 Million brokerage commission of the total contract value was surcharged by us (the Contract Award Committee) to the foreign firm, which has collected their payment leaving ours in a suspense account at the Bank of Ghana (BoG). In the light of this therefore, we are seeking your assistance and permission to remit this amount of money into your a/c or into any other a/c you can nominate to us.

It is important I mention that the officials involved in this transaction are top government functionaries who have put in years of service to this Country. For the maintenance of personal integrity and prestige of all persons involved in this transaction, you are implored to exhibit utmost secrecy throughout the duration of this deal.

You are strongly advised to avoid discussing this transaction with a third party as that could jeopardize the success of this transaction. For us to commence with this transaction, we shall require your full name, address and banking information including your bank telephone, fax and telex number. We shall also require your direct telephone and fax numbers for easier communication.

Could you please notify us of your acceptance to carry out this transaction with us by giving us an urgent reply? You may open a separate account in any country for this purpose if you wish. Meanwhile all arrangements for this transfer in this payment quarter of the year 2013 have been properly organized and further action awaits your response to this request.

So I oblige you to send the required information to me immediately, this will enable us process for the approval of this payment into your desired bank account.

I look forth to your immediate reply.

Dr.Richard Maaboah

Anti-fraud resources: