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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: "Dr. Pete Weel" <franco.attivissimo@alice.it>
Reply-To: sarinaalkhalid@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 10:28:39 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Your Prize Funds

This is to bring to your very notice that you were enlisted among the ECOWAS
Prize Winner in 2013. I have successfully arranged and deposited the funds in
question ($5,000,000.00) with the Diamond Bank Plc for Telegraphic Transfer.

Please, contact the Diamond Bank Manager, Mrs.Sarina Alkhali at:
sarinaalkhalid@gmail.com or call on +229 6772 0276 for your prize
$5,000,000.00 USD.

Fill the following details:

Full name:---------
Phone Number:--------------
Country of origin:--------
Home address:-------

Your sincerely,
Dr. Pete Weel, Director-General,
Federal Ministry of Economy and Finance,
Benin Republic.

Anti-fraud resources: