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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: "maureen joshua" <maureen888_joshua@latinmail.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:36:57 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: FROM MISS MAUREEN JOSHUA.


FROM MISS MAUREEN JOSHUA

DEAREST ONE,

I AM MISS MAUREEN JOSHUA FROM IVORY COAST AND I AM CONTACTING YOU BECAU=
SE I NEED YOUR HELP IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A SUM OF MONEY THAT MY LATE FA=
THER LEFT FOR ME BEFORE HE DIED.THIS MONEY IS USD 11.5 MILLION AMERICAN=
DOLLARS AND THE MONEY IS IN A BANK HERE IN=20
ABIDJAN.=20

MY FATHER WAS A VERY RICH COCOA FARMER AND HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSIN=
ESS COLLEAGUES AND NOW I WANT YOU TO STAND AS MY GUIDIAN AND APPOINTED =
BENEFICIARY AND RECEIVE THE MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY SINCE I AM ONLY 21 YE=
ARS AND WITHOUT MOTHER AND FATHER.=20

PLEASE I WILL LIKE YOU TO REPLY TO THIS EMAIL SO THAT I WILL TELL YOU A=
LL THE INFORMATION SO THAT MY MONEY WILL BE TRANSFER INTO YOUR BANK ACC=
OUNT SO THAT YOU WILL GET ME PAPERS TO TRAVEL TO YOUR COUNTRY TO CONTIN=
UE MY EDUCATION THERE WHILE YOU HELP ME INVEST MY MONEY UNTIL I FINISH =
MY EDUCATION.I AM WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY AND I WILL CALL YOU AS =
SOON AS I HEAR FROM YOU.=20

THANKS.=20

MISS MAUREEN JOSHUA.

Las nuevas aventuras de Harry Potter, a un clic! http://www.starmedia.c=
om/entretenimiento/especiales/novedades.html

Anti-fraud resources: