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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: "DR JOHN LARRY." <officefile034@gmail.com>
Reply-To: www.westernunionoffice90@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:03:15 -0400
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT HAVE BEEN RELEASE TODAY

INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT YOU
ONLY HAVE 48HOURS TO EFFECT PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN TO ENABLE
YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST $6,000.00. FROM YOUR TOTAL (FUND OF NINE HUNDRED AND
FIFTY THOUSAND STATE DOLLARS) SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS
PAYMENT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR
THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED
SUM,TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE.
YOU ARE TO PAY WHAT EVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE; WE WILL ACTIVATE
YOUR MTCN UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT.

BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION UPON
CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST $6,000.00. ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU
THAT FAILURE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM WILL LEAVE US WITH NO OPTION BUT TO
DEACTIVATE YOUR MTCN OF WHICH YOU WILL AND CAN NEVER CASH UP THE BALANCE SUM I
WANT YOU TO SEND THE

RENEWING AND TRANSFER FEE WITH THE INFORMATION BELLOW.

1.RECEIVER NAME:__ NGOSINE JHON OBAGHA
2.COUNTRY:_________ BENIN REPUBLIC WEST AFRICA.
3.CITY :.____________ COTONOU .
4..TEST QUESTION:_______ HONEST
5.TEST ANSWER:_________ TRUST.

PLEASE ANY AMOUNT YOU SEND LET US KNOWU SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY
YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE WE WILL SEND
YOU THE FIRST RECIEPT OF YOUR $6,000.00. TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW. REGARDS MY
DIRECT PHONE LINE IS : +229 99085224 : DR JOHN LARRY. MANAGER.FROM WESTERN
UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC FOR YOUR PAYMENT

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