What it is
When a stranger contacts you and asks you to pay an admin fee to help move a large amount of money from one country to another with the promise you’ll be rewarded with a cut of the cash later on.
These emails can involve countries such as Iraq, South Africa or somewhere in west Africa such as Ivory Coast, Togo or Nigeria, where the name ‘419’ (an article of the country’s criminal code) originates.
Protect yourself
Scam messages: If you’ve received a message that feels suspicious, STOP! Break the contact – don’t reply, click on any links, call any phone numbers or make any payments. You can check if it’s genuine by contacting the organisation directly using an email address or phone number you know is correct, e.g. from an official letter, via a search engine, on the back of your card or by calling 159 for banks.
Advanced payments: Unsolicited offers of large sums of money in return for a small upfront payment should always raise a red flag. Never respond to any requests to send money, or have money transferred through your account by someone you don’t know and trust.
Payment method: Where possible, avoid payments via bank transfer as it offers you little protection if you become a victim of fraud. Instead, use a credit card or payment services such as PayPal.
How 419 emails and letters work
Someone contacts you by phone, email, fax or post, saying they have access to a substantial amount of money, usually because of an invented story such as an inheritance or a government fund.
They say need your help to move the money, and then give you a reason why they can’t transfer it themselves. For example, they say they can’t open a bank account in another country. They'll also tell you why you’ve been chosen to take part and may ask you to open a new bank account to transfer the money.
Below is an example of a scenario that could take place:
Fraudsters will use a variety of techniques to make the offer look legitimate by getting in touch using many different names and invented characters. They’ll provide faked photographs, documents and letters with official-looking headed paper. In some cases, they’ll even offer to meet you, usually outside the UK.
A ‘419’ email or letter is a type of advance fee fraud. Fraudsters don’t have the huge sums of money they claim to be handling; they want to take the fees you pay them before cutting all contact.
If you pay, fraudsters will keep coming back with requests for more fees, pretending it's one more last-minute obstacle before they can release the money. The fraudsters may also ask you for details of your bank account so that they can transfer your reward. They will use this information to empty your account.
If you’ve responded to an email like this, you’ll probably be targeted again for other frauds. Sometimes the original fraudsters may try to contact you using a different name to try to defraud you again, because your details are usually sold on to other fraudsters or they may pretend to be police officers or lawyers, offering to help you recover your lost money, but then also ask for a fee. Genuine police officers in the UK never ask for payment to investigate crimes.
What to do if you've been a victim of 419 emails and advanced fee fraud
If you have made a payment: Inform your bank as soon as possible, they can help you prevent any further losses. Monitor your bank statements regularly for any unusual activity.
Identity theft: If you have shared personal or financial information, and suspect your identity may have been stolen, you can check your credit file quickly and easily online. You should do this every few months anyway, using a reputable service provider and follow up on any unexpected or suspicious results. You can also sign up for Cifas services which can help to protect you against fraud.
You could be targeted again: Fraudsters sometimes re-establish contact with previous victims claiming that they can help them recover lost money, this is just a secondary scam. Hang up on any callers that claim they can get your money back for you.
How to report it
Report it to us online or call 0300 123 2040. It may feel embarrassing if you’ve already replied to an email like this, but reporting it is the best thing to do.
End all further contact with the fraudsters. If they start threatening you when you stop co-operating tell your local police force.
If you’ve given the fraudsters your bank account details, contact your bank immediately. Don’t send them any more money.
Send a copy of any original emails to your own Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the ISP of the sender. Address it to ‘abuse@’ followed by the email address.