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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: "FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <firstcity.groups@live.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:39:44 +0100
Subject: GLOBAL RECESSION BENEFITS (PAYMENT INFORMATION).

New Page 2

We are in receipt of your email, and i want to inform you that your representative who we assigned because of your in ability to come to Nigeria is out here to sign your fund release documents and if the exchange rate of $285.00 from naira to US Dollars differences are not paid your fund which is in Bonds from the US Department of the Treasury, United States of America will not be liquidated and your fund can not be transferred to you.

After payment, we will attached the Clean Bill Certificate for your perusal and we await your payment so that your representative can sign on your behalf and your fund can be wired to you or your online account details can be issued to you for swift online transfer to your nominated account, so kindly send the required $285.00 to Charles Jacobs through western union to Delta State, Nigeria and the payment slip should be sent for our perusal and record purposes.

Below is the payment information:

Receivers Name: Charles Jacobs
City: Delta State
Country: Nigeria
Test Question: From?
Answer: Sarah
mtcn #

We shall await your payment today.

Sarah Jackson
Tel: +2348052682367
Head of Department,
First City Monument Bank, Nigeria.
Debt Reconciliation Committee

Anti-fraud resources: