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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: "Mr. VIRAD CHENG" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <chengm32@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2017 21:28:43 +0700
Subject: Did you receive my first email?.

Attention Sir,
This is my second email to you without any response. I am Mr. CHENG VIRAD, In my first email I mentioned about my deceased customer whose relatives my Bank cannot locate to claim his estate.
I got your address from online directory service and decided to write you. I am asking for your consent so that I can present you to my Bank Management as the next of kin to the late customer account proceeds value ($4,200,000)(Four Million United State Dollars) to be transferred into your account for our mutual benefit.
At the successful transfer of this fund, our share of the fund will be on a pro rata based percentage [50% - 50%]. I am compelled to do this because I do not want my Bank to take over the ownership of this fund since I can claim it with your cooperation.
If you are interested and in agreement with me, get back to me quickly and I will send to you all the information you may need to proceed without coming to the Bank, and be rest assured that it is risk free project.

I look forward to your reply.

Respectfully submitted,
Mr. CHENG VIRAD

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