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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: "BARR MUSA HASSAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <musa.h@mail.mn>
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:18:38 +0800
Subject: GET BACK TO ME IS VERY URGENT

Hello,
 
I am Musa Hassan,an attorney at law. A deceased client of mine,
who died as the result of a heart-related
condition on March 12th 2007. His heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the tsunami disaster on the 26th December 2004 in Sumatra Indonesia.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake
 
My late Client has a deposit of seventeen point five Million Dollars (US$17.500,000.Million Dollars)that is lodge in the bank.
I contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client.
 
Further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon as I receive your return mail immediately you receive this letter. Please indicate your willingness by sending the below information for more clarification and easy communication.
 
1.NAME IN FULL________
2.ADDRESS_______
3.NATIONALITY_______
4.AGE_______
5.Sex__________
6.OCCUPATION_________
7.MARITAL STATUS________
8.PRIAVTE PHONE NO_______
9.PRIVATE FAX NO_________
 
Trusting to hear from you immediately,
 
Best regards,
Barr.Musa Hassan,
Reply with this email: musa.h@mail.mn
 

Anti-fraud resources: