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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: "mark williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <makky01113@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2015 00:06:52 -0700
Subject: reply

THE DESK OF MR MARK WILLIAMS
SOUTH AFRICAN RESERVE BANK
 
Hello,
I humbly crave your indulgence in sending you this mail, if the contents does not meet with your personal and business ethics, I apologies in advance, this is by virtue of its nature as being utterly "CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET". Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day.
I have decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction, as I have been reliable informed of your discreteness and ability in transaction of this nature. Let me start first, introduce myself properly to you.
I am Mr MARK WILLIAMS, of Dept of Bill and Exchange with SOUTH AFRICAN RESERVE BANK.
I need your consent to handle this transaction because it entails large amount of funds($15.2 Million Dollars) deposited by a deceased customer in our bank who died long time ago but has an open beneficiary mandate on his file though, there has not been anyone from his family to make
claim of this funds but i am sure he has no immediate family because i have tried all i could to contact them but to no avail.
 
THE PROPOSITION:
I wish to know if we can work together.I would like you to stand as next of kin to my deceased client, who was among the people that lost their life in Egypt air crash 1999, with the wife.
 
He made some deposits with our bank, and died without any registered next of kin and as such the funds now have an open beneficiary mandate.
If you are interested you do let me know by email  : makky01113@gmail.com
so that I can give you comprehensive details on what we are to do.
 
I urgently hope to get your response.
 
Best regards,
 
MR MARK WILLIAMS
makky01113@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources: