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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: "Fabulous Harris" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wu.department@skymail.mn>
Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2011 21:11:29 +0100
Subject: NOW CONTACT WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER PAYMENT HEADQUARTER FOR YOUR FUND.

NOW CONTACT WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER PAYMENT HEADQUARTER FOR YOUR FUND.

Hello dear,

There is an issue involving $3.7M USD which was called to Our Bank Societe Generale de Banque au Benin (SGBBE) from THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE,BENIN REPUBLIC concerning your compensation of $3.700,000.00 USD. The fund has been forwarded to Western Union Money Transfer payment head office and An instruction has come directly from Mr. Zeen Mofis of Ministry Of Finance.

He asked us to start sending your fund install mentally $5000 per day through western union money transfer. This type of transfer means that you will be receiving $5000 every day through western union until the total of $3.7MUSD is completely transferred to you.

Today, our bank has effected your first payment of $5000 through western union. Now you have to Contact,Dr.MAMADOU Amadou on his contact info below as he is the person incharge of your payment.
The Western union Agent is:

Name: Dr.MAMADOU Amadou.
Email: wudepartment@live.com
Phone:+229 98 087 740

Money sent Through Cornelis Zwaagstra, amount sent, $5,000.00 to you today. So contact Dr.MAMADOU Amadou on above email address and tell him to give you needed information for you to pick the $5,000.00usd.

Reconfirm your address to him.
(1)Your Full name: ................
(2)Your Phone number: ...................
(3)Your Contact address: ..................
(4)Your Age: ....................................

You will also have to send them the RE-ACTIVATION fee of $75usd [as per the instruction from the management ] Pls contact Dr.MAMADOU Amadou ASAP and send him the fee for him to send you the MTCN,QUEST/ANS and SENDER NAME for you to pick up your first payment of $5000us .

Get back to me on ( wudepartment@live.com ) as soon as you receives your first payment.

Yours in Service.
Fabulous Harris.

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