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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: "Mrs. Joan Gates" <kmh7@scpales.com>
Reply-To: joangates190@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 10:28:42 +0100
Subject: Re: DEAR BELOVED FRIEND URGENT RESPONDS


My Dear Friend, Greeting to you. firstly, I got your email address from a m=
ail Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead. I am Mr=
s. Joan Gates United Kingdom, married to Dr. James R. Gates who worked with=
Texaco Oil Company in London, before he died in a ghastly motor accident o=
n his way to a Board meeting. My Husband and I were married without any chi=
ldren,and I decided not to re-marry and presently I am 69 Years old. When m=
y late husband was Alive he deposited the sum of $5.5M. (Five Million Five =
Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars) with a Bank. Presently this money is still w=
ith the Bank and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come fo=
rward to receive the money or rather Issue a letter of authorization to som=
ebody to receive it on my behalf. I am presently in a hospital where I have=
been undergoing treatment Cancer of the lungs and inability to talk and my=
doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live so I think the =
best thing to do is to use the money for charity purposes. I want a person =
who is trustworthy that I will make the beneficiary of my late Husband's Fu=
nd deposited with the bank so that the person can get the money and utilize=
70% of this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows around the world=
and keep the remaining 30% for his effort. At the moment I cannot take any=
telephone calls due to the fact that my relatives (They had squandered the=
funds I gave them for this purpose before now and are around me I have bee=
n helping orphans orphanage/motherless homes. I have also donated some mone=
y for humanitarian needs in Sudan, South Africa, Brazil, Spain, Austria, Ge=
rmany and some Asian countries. I have been touched to the good work of hum=
anity through you, rather than allow my relatives to use my husband's hard =
earned funds inappropriately. I know i have never met you but my mind tells=
me to do this, and I hope you act sincerely. I want you send me the follow=
ing information, if you are interested as an enable that you are the right =
beneficiary. As soon as I receive your information, I shall give you the co=
ntact details of the bank, authorization letter and my picture with the doc=
tor as an authenticity of my integrity. Your Full Name, Your Contact Addres=
s, Your Phone Number, Your Age, Your Occupation and Any of your identificat=
ions This is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on Earth. I aw=
ait your urgent reply.(joangates190@yahoo.com) Regards, Mrs. Joan Gates

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