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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: "Mrs Mary Franco" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fastwaydept@live.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:16:51 +0100
Subject: Hello Winners,

Hello Winners,

You won the sum of $1.5 millions from our monthly sweepstakes.Your email address was among the five lucky winner in our computer email ballot, You are hereby advice to contact (Evans Delivery Courier Company) in the name of Abel Johnson to claim your prize.

Evans Delivery Courier Company
Contact Person:Abel Johnson
HOT LINE:+234-8063-881-606
E-mail: evanscourier01@hosanna.net

CLAIMS PROCESSING REQUIREMENT DATA:
(1) Full Names: __________________
(2) Full Address : __________________
(3) Sex: ___________
(4) Age: ___________
(5) Country:___________
(6) Mobile Phone: _______________
(7) Occupation: _______________
(8) A Copy Of Your Picture: _______________

Note: the only money you will send to Mr Abel Johnson to deliver your Consignment direct to your postal Address in your country is just $105.00 one Hundred,five United States Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far.

You are to send this fee via Western Union Money Transfer with the cash receiver of the Fastway Courier Service in the name of (Mr. Amalu Ifeanyi).
Receiver name: AMALU IFEANYI
Receiver address: #232, Festac Town ( Abuja - Nigeria )
Amount to send: $105 USD
Text Question: Have Faith
Text Answer: In God
As soon as you have made the payment get back to us with the information below.
Sender name: ...........................?
Amount sent: ............................?
Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN#)...................?written on your Western
Union receipt.
Receiver name: .........Amalu

We shall be expecting your payment information and as soon as we get this information we shall commence with the delivery of your Bank Draft to your house address and make sure you don't make any mistake in your house address.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Mary Franco.

Anti-fraud resources: