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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: "mike" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <davemike@w.cn>
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 09:54:10 +1100
Subject: Dear Friend

Greetings from Dave Mike,

I am Mr. Dave Mike, Group Accountant (R.B.T.T) However, I have
already sent you this same letter by post one month ago, but I am not
sure if it did get to you since I have not heard from you, hence my
resending it again.

I discovered a dormant account in my office, as Group Accountant with
Republic Bank of Trinidad and Tobago. It will be in my interest to
transfer this fund worth $28.5M Dollars (Twenty Eight Million Five
hundred thousand Dollars) in an account offshore. Can you be my
partner?
Please reply me at my private email address { dave.mike85@yahoo.com.hk}

Regards and respect,
Dave Mike

Anti-fraud resources: