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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: "Mr. Paul James" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pljames15@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:31:54 -0000
Subject: Transfer Confirmation.

Dearest,
Please i want to inform you that your fund was brought to our desk,of $10Million dollars, but it seems as you don't want to speak or write back to us. However, One Mr Jonathan visited my office, with a Beninios lawyer with application of claim over your USD$10Million dollars  with this financial institution.
Please, do confirm to us, as matter of urgency if this man is really from you so that this office will not be held responsible for paying wrong person. Based on board of directors meeting today, they have concluded to approve the payment on his favor since you failed to fulfill the obligation given to you by the wire transfer Department, to process your payment. Therefore, if you are really serious and willing to receive the first $10Million dollars through Diplomatic delivery, kindly get back to us and we will work with you to complete this your long awaited fund, so you are to effect the payment processing fees so that you will start expect your USD$10Million dollars via over night delivery.
Since the Payment processing fee is $190 in my concerted efforts to actualize your fund payment with the convenient time schedule I will raise $50, so I am expecting $140 from you today.
As an insider in this Financial Institution, I must assure you that once you have provided to the Bank with their demands, they would now be under  legal obligation to transfer the funds to you within 24hours once we confirm this $140. YES you must receive the delivery within two working day, after you have send the $140.
Kindly make the payment to:
1. RECEIVER NAME======= GARRY OBI,
2. COUNTRY=====LAGOS NIGERIA.
3. QUESTION=======IN GOD
4. ANSWER======WE TRUST
5. AMOUNT======US$140.00
I will like you to co-operate with me to retrieve this legacy payment left behind than allowing the government of this country to forfeit it. I believed it is a life time opportunity which every reasonable human-being will never allow to slip by. We do business each day with an absolute commitment to ethics, honesty and credibility.
Am waiting for your urgent response.
Mr. Paul James
Director Foreign Operation Department
Bank PHB Plc Nigeria.
Tel: +2348072712569

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