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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: "IMF & WORLD BANK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wunionmemofile@yahoo.co.jp)>
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 22:40:22 +0100
Subject: Attn: Email Owner,

Attn: Email Owner,

IMF/World Bank Auditors Instructed Western Union to Release Your Sum of $1.5Million dollars, Email lottery Awards Held in Brazil fortnight ago as the result of oncoming world cup finals coming up in Brazil 2014,So Kindly Contact Western Union Director Harry Morris: +22998220265, Email (wunionmemofile@yahoo.co.jp) with your Personal Address for your Claims.And follow their instructions because your email award was paid with your email that won the Lottery,Congratulation!

FROM

IMF/WORLD BANK AUDITORS

Anti-fraud resources: