Advance-fee fraud
419 scam
Advance-fee fraud dangles a large sum of money, an inheritance, lottery win, business windfall, or guaranteed loan, on the condition that you first pay a smaller fee to release it. The 'fees' keep shifting: taxes, legal costs, bank charges, bribes. Every payment simply triggers the next demand, and the promised fortune never arrives. It is also known as the 419 scam, after the section of Nigerian law that deals with fraud.
How we check this: Written and reviewed by the Hunch team; recognition signs reflect how the FTC/FBI describe this scam. · Last reviewed: 2026-08
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Example
An email claims you're the beneficiary of an overseas inheritance or a lottery you never entered, and that millions await you once you cover a modest 'transfer tax' or 'legal fee.' After you pay, new obstacles and fees appear, each described as the last one standing between you and the money.
How to recognize it
- You're promised a large sum but must pay a fee, tax, or charge before you can receive it.
- The windfall is unexpected, a lottery you didn't enter or a relative you never knew.
- Fees keep escalating, with a new 'final' payment required each time.
- You're asked to pay via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards and to keep it confidential.
How Hunch flags it
Hunch keys on signal categories common to these offers: too-good-to-be-true windfall claims, urgency to act, and an upfront payment ask through irreversible channels to 'unlock' funds that don't exist.
FAQ
Why is it called a 419 scam?
The term comes from Section 419 of the Nigerian criminal code, which addresses fraud. It became associated with the classic email schemes promising a share of hidden or inherited funds.
I already paid an advance fee, will I ever get the money?
No. There is no fortune to release; each fee only funds the scammer. Stop paying immediately, keep records, and report it. Be alert for 'recovery' offers that try to victimize you a second time.