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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. Martin Kume" <office_docu03@yahoo.com.ph> (may be fake)
Reply-To: wunion881@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2012 15:18:50 -0700
Subject: THIS IS YOUR FIRST $4,000 PAYMENT VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER,



13/08/AUGUST


Attention
My
Dear
Friend:

This
message
was
brought
to
you
by
federal
high
court
Benin
Republic
west
Africa
this
afternoon,
after
meeting
held
yesterday
that
you
must
receive
your
payment
with
with
out
any
problem
again
but
you
must
pay
$97
to
clear
all
the
tax
you
suposed
pay
to
clear
your
documents
before
the
transfer
start,
you
need
to
follow
our
instruction
and
receive
your
payment
today
not
tomorrow,
Again
try
to
provide
your
full
name------,
your
address---,
your
telephone---,
your
occupation----
,
your
age---
and
your
ID
CARD
or
INTERNATIONAL
PASSPORT
This
information
will
enable
us
to
send
the
$4000
to
you
and
Don't
miss
to
send
the
$97
today
and
after
paying
the
$97
dollars
if
anybody
ask
you
to
pay
dime
to
him/her
please
don't
waste
time
to
report
to
us
immediately.

Again
make
sure
you
send
the
$97
today
and
your
information
where
the
payment
OF
$4000
will
be
send
to
you
through
WESTERN
UNION
OR
MONEY
GRAM
TODAY

YOU
REQUIRE
TO
SEND
$97
TODAY
THROUGH
WESTERN
UNION
THAT
IS
THE
ONLY
PAYMENTY
OU
WILL
PAY.

Receiver
Name
------:Chuma
James
Lcation--------------
Cotonou
Benin
Republic
Country---------------Benin
Republic
Test
Question---------------AA
Test
Answer-----------------BB
Mtcn
:
--------------
Amount----------$97
Sender
Name
:-----------------------

CONTACT
MR.JOHN
PERCY
Tel:+
229
97
490017
EMAIL:(wunion882@gmail.com
)

We
are
waiting
for
your
urgent
respond
by
sending
the
$97
today.

Thanks,

Mr.
Martin
Kume.

Anti-fraud resources: