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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: "mr mis eric johnson" <faith_eric2@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: faith_eric4@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 19:07:04 +0200
Subject: faith and eric seeking for help

Hello Dear,
In view of our difficulties and problems in this country, we are so pleased to have found someone like you in whom we can confide or at least talk to. my name is faith and my brother name is eric johnson, a Liberian. we are here in Senegal as a refugee. we arrived here a year ago during the peak of our national crises (civil war) our father,johnson was a military personel in the rebel camp. While serving in the Army, he deposited the sum of seven million one Hundred thousand USD cash($ 10 million us dollars cash) to our mother for our life inheritance.In a prime bank here in Dakar Senegal.
He (our lovely father) drowned in a river while attempting to cross during a battle with the government troops. we are using this opportunity pleading for you to help us retrieve this money and transfer it into your account pending when we will come over to your country for investment. You will be compensated for all your efforts in actuallising this transaction with 15 percent of the total sun involved.
we expect your response immediately you receive this proposal.
waiting to hear from you soon through this email(faith_eric2@yahoo.com)
Thanks
Yours Sincerely,
Faith and Eric.




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