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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: Garry Heller <garryheller1123@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2018 23:10:56 +0100
Subject: Re: Your prompt response will be highly appreciated


​Dear Friend,
Please accept my apologies if this request does not meet your
personal ethics as it is not intended to cause you any embarrassment in
whatever form. I got your contact email address from the internet directory
and decided to contact you for this transaction that is based on trust and
your outstanding. I have an interesting business proposal for you that
will be of immense benefit to both of us. Although this may be hard for you
to believe because i know that there is absolutely going to be a great
doubt and distrust in your heart in respect of this email as this might
sound strange to you and coupled with the fact that, so many individuals
have taken possession of the Internet to facilitate their nefarious deeds,
thereby making it extremely difficult for genuine and legitimate persons to
get attention and recognition. Please grant me the benefit of the doubt and
hear me out.
My name is Garry Heller, I work as an external auditor for Royal
Bank Of Scotland.My department covers entire Scotland, Wales, and England.
I discovered an abandoned sum of GBP 9,850,000.00 (Nine Million Eight
Hundred And Fifty Thousand British Pounds) in an account that belongs to
one of our foreign customers Late Dr. Erin Jacobson, an American citizen
who unfortunately lost his life and his entire family in Montana plane
crash on March 23, 2009, on their way to a group ski vacation.The choice of
contacting you is aroused from the geographical nature of where you live,
particularly due to the sensitivity of this transaction and the
confidentiality herein. Now our bank has been waiting for any of the
relatives to come up with the claim but nobody has done that. I personally
tried to locate any member of his family but have been unsuccessful in
locating the relatives for 8 years now, I have also checked the deposit
documents and discovered that he did not declare any next of kin on the
deposit.
Now the Management of our bank as instructed me to look for the next
of kin or they will convert the funds into the Government Treasury Account
as unclaimed funds and the funds will be wasted. Therefore, I cannot claim
these funds without presenting a foreigner to stand as next of kin. This is
the reason why I contacted you to seek your consent to present you as a
next of kin so that the funds will be released to you, then we share it 40%
for me and 60% for you because am not a greedy person and is deal between
me and you.
I have employed the service of an Attorney who will secure all
necessary legal documents that could be used to back up this claim. All the
attorney need to do is to fill in your names to the documents and legalize
it in the Court here to prove you as the legitimate next of kin to the late
depositor Dr. Erin Jacobson then the bank will release the funds to you as
the rightful beneficiary.
This is a fair deal without any risk attached either on your part or on my
part as long as we comply with the laws governing the claiming of funds in
our establishment. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us
sees this deal through, and with my position in the bank as an external
auditor, I will do everything possible to protect your interest and to make
sure everything workout successfully.
If you are interested in this deal, kindly send me your complete
information,
(1) Full Name; (2) Telephone, Fax and Mobile Numbers; (3) Postal Address:
(4) A Copy Of Your I.D...


So that the attorney will start processing the necessary paperwork that
would facilitate the release of the funds to you.

This is exactly why I crave your participation and co-operation.

Sincerely,
Mr. Garry Heller



​

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