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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: "Solo" (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2020 16:22:40 +0800
Subject: HELLO

Dear Friend.
My name is Mr Solomon Laba. I write to seek your services in a private and confidential matter
regarding an unaccounted fund in our bank here in Ghana during the last two years 2018 end of the year's report. As a Branch Manager in this Bank, I deposited this fund in an ESCROW CALL ACCOUNT at our headquarters pending when I shall get a reliable person.

This requires a private arrangement. Could you perhaps be able to receive these funds under legal claims then I will file you in. I will appreciate if you have questions to ask and your participation will be 40% of the total money. There are practically no risks involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law,it will be simply a bank-to-bank transfer.

I have all the details and will file you in if you are really willing.
Your major role would be to provide an existing account or open a new bank account where the funds will be transferred and stand as the original depositor of this fund in our bank, as long as you will remain honest to me till the end of this important business trusting in you and believing that you will never let me down either now or in
future.

Once this fund is transferred into your account, I shall resign from my job and bring my family to start a new life in your country.The fund in question is quite large,Twelve million five hundred thousand United States Dollars($12,500,000.00).

I will expect a straight answer from you. If yes, please get back to me so that we can work out the modalities without further delays.

I will be monitoring the whole situation here in this bank until you confirm the money in your account and ask me to come down to your country for subsequent sharing of the fund according to percentages previously indicated and further investment, either in your country or any country you advice us to invest in. All other vital information will be sent to you when I get your reply.
I await your kind reply.
Regards.
Mr Solomon Laba.

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