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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.Gordon Thomas" <gordonthms@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 09:42:35 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: HAPPY THANKSGIVING.


 Dear Partner,

I am very sorry for the delay in responding to your mails. I had a little internet problem which lead to the loss of all my email contacts. I am trying to gather as many as I can though with lots of mix up. However, I am glad I finally got hold of you.
I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting the fund transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from China. Presently I am in China for investment projects with my own share of the total sum.

Meanwhile, I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me during that time, despite that you did not conclude it with me. Now contact my secretary, His name is Mr. Michael Bloom, Email :( michaelbloom@secretary.net), Ask him to send to you a Certificate Bank Draft valued Two million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$2.5M) which I wrote in your favor for your compensation for all the past efforts and attempts to assist me in the past. I appreciate your efforts at that time very much. So feel free and get in touch with my secretary Mr. Michael Bloom, as I directed you.

Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we can share the joy after all that we went through at that time.

In the moment, I am very busy here with my investment project .Finally, remember that I had forwarded instruction to the secretary on your behalf to receive that money, so feel free to get in touch with him and direct him on how to send the check to you without delay.

Best regards,
Mr. Thomas Gordon.


Anti-fraud resources: