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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.Maria Jacobs" (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 18:16:13 -0000
Subject: IN GOD WE TRUST

Dear Beneficiary,

we apologize for the delay of your payment and all the Inconveniences and hiccups that we might have caused you. However, we were having some minor problems with our payment system, which is Inexplicable, and have held us stranded and Indolent, not having the Prerequisite to devote our 100% endowment in accrediting foreign payments.

We apologized once again, from the Records of outstanding debt's due for payment to:{INHERITANCE FUND CLAIMS/LOTTO /CONTRACT FUND} THIS OFFICE: DEBT RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OVERSEA CREDIT COMMISSION has been Mandated to Liquidate all outstanding debt, your name and Particulars were discovered as next on the list due for outstanding payment worth $15.5million dollars.
I wish to inform you now that the square peg is now in square hole and can be accelerated so that your payment can be processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter. Also note that from the record in our file, YOUR APPROVED outstanding payment TAG with Reference NUMBER:PF-008006-US/01 HAS BEEN APPROVED, Consequently You are advised to forward your banking details as directed so that you fund will be wire by electronic transfer very fast.


In the light of this aforementioned, you are required to furnish this office with the following information, as this will enable us to process and release your fund without any further delay.

Your Full Name:................................
Telephone/mobile and fax Numbers:..............
Residential Address:.........................
Age/Occupation................................
Banking Details...............................

Forward your urgent reply with above information to Mr. Nelson David. Director Electronic transfer department of central bank of Nigeria.
TEL: +234 80 600 900 82.
E-mail: cbnpay11@tlen.pl


For speedy release of your long over-due payment within 48hours.


Yours Sincerely,
Mrs.Maria Jacobs.
Director central bank Debt Reconciliation committee.

Anti-fraud resources: