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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: "SMITH MATHEW" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <smithkujor10009@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2019 12:10:56 +0100
Subject: Reply now

 
I MR SMITH.MATHEW FROM COTONOU WEST AFRICA LOOKING FOR A RELIABLE
INVESTOR OR BUSINESS PERSON THAT CAN HELP ME TO CLAIM SUM OF
$35.5MILLION USD THAT WAS KEPT IN THE BOX  WITH SECURITY VAULT BY MY
LATE BOSS MR HARLOD FRTZ FROM USA WHO DIED 7 MONTH AGO HERE IN BENIN
AND KNOW BODY AWARE THAT THIS FUND IS WITH THE VAULT .
 
EVEN THE VAULT WHERE THIS BOX OF THE MONEY WAS KEPT DID NOT AWARE
THAT THE CONTENT OF THE BOX IS MONEY FOR SECURITY REASON  WHAT WE
DECLARED AS THE CONTENT OF THE BOX IS JEWELRIES AND GOLD MATERIALS FOR
SECURITY REASON
 
THIS MY  TRANSACTION IS FREE FROM ALL UPFRONT PAYMENT AND FOR ANY
PURPOSE  THE MOST PARAMOUNT IMPORTANT IN THIS TRANSACTION IS YOUR
PRESENT TO MEET WITH ME FACE TO FACE HERE IN COTONOU BECAUSE WITHOUT
YOUR PRESENT NOTING CAN BE DONE
 
SO YOU ARE TO MAKE YOUR EXPENSES OF YOUR TRAVELING AND YOUR HOTEL
RESERVATION TO COTONOU FOR FINAL TRANSACTION I WILL OFFER YOU 40% FROM
THE TOTAL FUND ND 60% FOR ME AS OWNER OF THE TRANSACTION IN CONCLUSION
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED KINDLY SEND TO ME YOUR FULL DETAILS WITH YOUR
SCAN PASSPORT FOR THE NEXT STEP AS THE OWNER OF THE FUND
 
 
 
THANKS FOR YOUR MAXIMUM COPERATION IN ADVANCED
 
SINCERELY
 
SMITH MATHEW

Anti-fraud resources: