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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: Henry Addo <ebenezertodonkor@yahoo.ca>
Reply-To: Henry Addo <henryaddo02@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2015 07:37:02 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: I Need Your Assistance


My Good Friend,
 
My name is Mr. Henry Addo, I am a newly promoted Branch Manager of a Bank here in Ghana, West Africa, I feel not quite safe discussing this Business with you through this Internet method, why because this transaction is very important business and must be treated Confidential. Though using this medium of Internet has been greatly abused, I still choose to reach you through it because it still remains the fastest medium of communication, I got your information during my search through the Internet.
 
It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and don't want problems, I only hope we can assist each other. If you don't want this business offer kindly forget it, as I will not contact you again.
 
I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us, as the Branch Manager of the Bank, it is my duty to send in a Financial Report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end of each year.
 
In the course of the last year 2014 end of the year report, I discovered that my branch in which I am the Manager made excess profit of Seven Million five Hundred Thousand Dollars [US$7,500,000.00] which my head office are not aware of and will never be aware of. I have since placed this fund in a SUNDRY ACCOUNT.
 
As an officer of the bank I cannot be directly linked to this money, so this informed my contacting you for us to work together so that you can assist me and receive this fund into your bank account in your country for us to SHARE.
 
I am offering you 45% of the total fund, while you keep 55% for me in your bank account till I join you in your country for the sharing/investment of my own share of the funds or better still we can go into a joint partnership venture, I will appreciate it very much.
 
I immensely request for your optimum honesty and cooperation and Let me know your mind on this, and please do treat this information as Top secret as I can’t afford to lose my job with the Bank. We shall go over the details once I receive your urgent response.
 
Sincerely,
Mr. Henry Addo




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