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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: "Ms.Joy Winta" <henryricks@rediffmail.com>
Reply-To: money.transfer@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2011 21:58:57 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT MONEY GRAM FOR YOUR PAYMENT


ATTENTION:BENEFICIARY,
 
WE THE MONEY GRAM REMITTING OFFICE HERE IN COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN WAN'T TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE SENT YOUR FULL COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF 1.500,000.00USD TO YOU THROUGH MONEY GRAM, YOU WILL BE RECEIVING 10.000.00USD PER DAY, NOW WE HAVE SEND THE FIRST PAYMENT TO YOU.
 
SO KINDLY CONTACT OUR DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT (Mr.Marcel Owurah) AND ASK HIM TO GIVE YOU THE MONEY GRAM PAYMENT INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN BE ABLE TO PICK YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $10,000.00 UP IN ANY MONEY GRAM OFFICE AROUND YOU WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.
 
HIS EMAIL ADDRESS IS (money.transfer@hotmail.com)
PHONE NUMBER +229 98-22-59-43.
 
AND CONTACT HIM WITH YOUR FULL INFORMATION.
 
Your name.......
country........
phone no.......
address/city.........
age/sex.....
occupation....
 
CALL OR EMAIL HIM NOW SO THAT HE CAN PROVIDE THE MONEY GRAM INFORMATION TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
THANKS
Ms.Joy Winta

Anti-fraud resources: