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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "MHD.YAHYA ARAFEH" <yahya_arafeh@live.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 15:57:10 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: URGENT REPLY

Hello Sir/Madam,

I got your contact details from the right source and decided to contact you.

My name is Mhd Yahya Arafeh I’m a Muslim, age 56 yrs, I am a top Government functionary in the present government of Bashar al-Assad, the embattled Syrian President, but presently I'm still in Damascus,
Syria with my family, I am in a dire need of a trust worthy individual/Organization who can receive and secure the sum of $4,3 Million US Dollars (Four Million Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars)
deposited in Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, this is as a result of the ongoing war in my country, Syria.

I seriously want to remove these funds from my name to a new name because Syria will soon have a new government which might affect these funds.

For your help and trustworthiness I will compensate you with 40% of the total sum and a stake in whatever business that will be setup by you with this fund in future. If you are interested kindly get back to me on my private email address as follows: yahya_arafeh@live.com

for more details.

In my next message I will attached my International passport copy for
you to know who you're dealing with.

Thanks
Dr. Mhd Yahya Arafeh
Damascus, Syria


Anti-fraud resources: