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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: "Mrs. Ngoc Michael" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ngocmichael@163.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2018 14:54:09 -0700
Subject: Hi

Dear friend,
Please read this slowly and carefully as it is one of the most important mails you will ever receive. My name is Mrs. Ngoc Michael from Sweden and I am a 59 years old woman. I was married to the late Mr. Johan Michael, who is my husband, and also to Emhart Glass Sweden AB, Sweden, and an experienced entrepreneur in Kuwait. He died on November 29, 2017 in Kuwait.My late husband and I were married for years without a child and after his death I decided not to remarry or to have a child outside of my parents' house. As I talk to you, I was metabolized with congestive heart failure, which the doctors confirmed and told me that I would not go on living ... After my husband passed away last year, I found out he had a huge sum Money deposited with security firm.
The money deposited with the security firm totaled $ 9.5 million. I write to you, I believe that the money in the security company would be a waste when I die, and so I have come to a conclusion that donate money to the less privileged and the motherless babies home.
My husband's brother is an addicted smoker and drinker who spends his money on expensive drinks and unnecessary things, so I do not wish him any of the money my husband has worked so hard all his life. After reviewing your profile through the internet, I have decided to contact you for the friendship and help in distributing my heritage. Please, my dear friend, I have come to you to help me fulfill my last wish, because I am too weak to move, and because of my state of health, I have long relied on a wheelchair, and I can travel not all the way from here.
It is true that I do not know you, but I have been instructed by God to do so. If you want to help me, please write back to me as soon as possible, so that I can tell you how to contact the security firm to transfer the money to you, depending on what you would like to propose for this purpose. Please send me your name, address, occupation, age, gender, marital status and phone numbers so that I can forward them to the security company. I will give you my contact information of my lawyer, for whom I may not be able to perform, I am weakly less privileged to write or speak.
I am waiting for your urgent answer.
Thank you for your kindness
God bless
Sincerely
Mrs. Ngoc Michael
 

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