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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: Anita <anitatofa50@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2018 16:33:56 +0100
Subject: PLEASE HELP

Hello.

I am making this contact with you anticipating your kind
consideration and co-operation. My name is Mrs. Anita Tofa, wife of late
John Tofa. My late husband John was a successful business man based in
Ghana. He died Five months ago at the age of 56, after a brief illness, and
the Doctor confirmed that he was poisoned.

Now, the tradition and customs of the Community where my late husband came
from demands that any woman that does not have a male born child for her
husband, has no right to any of her husband’s properties when he dies.
According to their tradition and customs, the estate of my late husband is
to be shared among my late husband’s siblings. This is my plight right now.
My late husband’s brothers have taken over all the properties belonging to
my late husband including business managements, bank accounts, houses and
cars, and have sent me and my teenage daughters out of my husband's house
just because I do not have a male child for my late husband. Yes, even in
this modern age they still practice such an evil customs and traditions
which lack moral values.

The reason why I am contacting you now is to seek your help, and hope you would be
kind enough to help me out of this condition. I have in my possession, a
document that covers the deposit of $10.700.000.00 USD and 120kgs of Gold,
which my late husband deposited in a Security House as family treasures
with my name on the document as his next of kin and beneficiary.

Last week I contacted the manager of the Security House and was told that the
deposit is very intact, and that I can come for it whenever I wish. The
point is that I cannot make use of these funds here, under the eyes of my
late husband's family; they see me as threat to them, and they could kill
me for that reason. I am presently hiding in my elder sister's house a bit
far from them.Please have pity on my daughter and save my child's future, this is my
only hope for my child to continue with her education. All I want is your
help and assistance to get these funds to your Country immediately before
my late husband brothers come to know of it and eventually claim it just
like they did to other properties. This is our only hope for survival.

I am willing and ready to reward you with 30% of the total fund; so far the
fund can be secured for me to take care of my children, my children are my
only happiness today, and I cannot stand to watch them go through
undeserving pains, i know that this is coming to you as a surprise.
I am in desperate need of your help now and you will
forever be blessed for listening to the cry of a sorrowful widow. I await
your response.

Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Anita Tofa.

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