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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: HELP ME <help.blessing1@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Jun 2011 10:10:37 +0100
Subject: URGENTPLEASE HELP ME

MY NAME IS CHARLS STEV, A CITIZEN OF SUDAN I JUST ARRIVED HERE IN
NNAMDI AZIKIWE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ABUJA NIGERIA WITH MY LATE
GRANDFATHER CONSIGNMENT
BOXES WORTH OF 35 MILLION U.S DOLLARS AND THE OTHER CONTAINS 18.5 K.G
OF RAW GOLD.BECAUSE MY FATHER IS A RICH MAN WELL KNOWN ALL OVER
AFRICA HE IS A GOLD MERCHANT IN SUDAN,THEY ASSASSINATED HIM BECAUSE
OF GREED OF THE MONEY BY HIS RELATIONS,MY FATHER HAS A FRIEND CONGO
MAKATY WHO,THEY ALSO ASSASSINATED ,SO RIGHT NOW THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED
MY FATHER ARE TRYING TO CLAIM MY FATHER WEALTH BECAUSE THEY KNOW I AM
THE NEXT OF KIN THEY WANTED TO KILL ME BECAUSE I AM A SMALL BOY,THAT
IS THE REASON WHY I HAVE TO RUN FROM SUDAN TO NIGERIA WITH MY FATHER
BOXES AND SOME GOLD WITH THE HELP OF MY LATE FATHER BARRISTER.

I JUST ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT I CALLED THE BENEFICIARY WHO WAS
SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE MY BOXES AND I WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS DEAD BEFORE A
RELIABLE MAN GAVE ME YOUR EMAIL THAT YOU CAN HELP ME.SO PLEASE I WANT
TO DELIVER THE CONSIGNMENT AND THE BOX OF GOLD TO YOU THROUGH ANY
MEANS TO YOU , PLEASE , I WANT YOU TO BE MY FOREIGN BENEFICIARY TO
RECEIVE MY FUNDS/CONSIGNMENT IN YOUR COUNTRY SO THAT I CAN COME OVER
TO YOUR COUNTRY TO COMPLETE MY EDUCATION AND SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE
THERE WITH YOU , PLEASE I DON'T WANT ANYBODY HERE IN NIGERIA TO KNOW
THAT I AM WITH SUCH KIND OF MONEY BECAUSE I AM AFRAID I DON'T WANT TO
DIE PLEASE .I DON'T KNOW MY LEFT FROM MY RIGHT PLEASE DIRECT ME,THERE
ARE THE DOCUMENTS THE BARRISTER DID FOR ME IN THE HIGH COURT OF
JUSTICE SUDAN, I WILL WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU,MAY GOD BE WITH YOU.
YOUR SON
CHARLS STEV

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