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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: "Rev Micheal Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ericmarcus124@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 27 May 2011 11:48:35 +0900
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOUR BANKDRAFT IS READY

Micheal ENGINEERING COMPANY,
26, V-Island Road,
Ikeja Avenue,
Lagos-Nigeria.
  
Dear Friend,
I am Rev. Micheal Williams from Canada, I have been an international contractor that collects
contract from Big Companies and countries, I got involved in one contract in Nigeria which
my payment was refused, I was down and almost lost hope.
After 2 years of this contract, I later talked to God to assist me in getting this money. I
made a vow to benefit someone with the sum of Four million five hundred thousand United State Dollars
(USD $4.5,000,000) draft payment if my payment could be approved and to my surprise I was called
upon by the Nigeria Government sometimes last month that my contract file have been looked
into and it is ready for payment.I never believed it until I was advised by my Pastor and
later moved down to Nigeria and to my unbelievable surprise I was paid this money.
Due to my pledge to God I have agreed to show the person that i will be sending the Four million five hundred thousand United State Dollars (USD $4.5,000,000) through ballot system on the internet
which happened to be your email so you are lucky. What you have to do now is to get in touch
with my secretary Mr Eric Marcus. and instruct him on how to send your USD (USD $4.5,000,000)
Bank draft to you.
 
It also came to my notice that you might have been contacted by any body like Rev philip boardmann,Mr Robert Dennis,dennis williams any
body claiming to be my secretay  please i will advice you stop every contact with them
because they are all fraudsters,please i will advice you disregard all their emails,please only get in contact with my direct secretary as i give u his information below.
BELOW IS THE CONTACT OF MY SECRETARY
Mr. ERIC MARCUS
E-mail address:Ericmarcus124@gmail.com
Phone # : +234-808-350-0286
Send to my secretary your contact address and telephone number,let him make arrangement for
the shipment of your draft to your doorstep and also you can give him a call to confirm your
address.What I want you to believe now is that this is the opportunity which God have
promised you this year so it is better you have it in time before it goes again from you so
contact my secretary in time.And for your information presently i am in the United Kingdom
for another contract so i want you to go into prayer with me for the success of this
contract.
 
Note: This is 100% legit and scam free all you just need do is just follow all the instruction's giving to you by Mr Eric Marcus.
Congratulation in Advance
With Best Regards,
Rev. Micheal Williams
 

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