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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. SMITH EZENWA" <chinedujohn806@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: "DR. SMITH EZENWA" <ezenwsmith@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2015 00:19:06 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: DEAR FRIEND:


DEAR FRIEND:

We want to inform you that your $5000 has been released today through
western union payment and we want you to Contact Person;REV. DR. SMITH EZENWA. immediately with this email address(ezenwsmith@hotmail.com)
Here is the information the western union payment office needed from you.

Your full name__________________
Your country_________________________
Your phone numbers______________________
Your Age___________________________________
Your occupation_______________________________

Ask him to give you the question and answer and (MTCN NUMBER) for you
to pick up the $5,000 he sent to you, he will be sending it $5,000 per
each transaction until he finish sending the whole amount to
you which is
$8.5M USD, One Million Five Hundred Thousands US Dollars.

You will pay small amount for the PIN CODE NUMBER And Ownership certificate
of the fund before you can pick up the money but we don't know the exactly
amount. We wish You Good luck

CONTACT: REV. DR. SMITH EZENWA.
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
E-MAIL: (ezenwsmith@hotmail.com)
DIRECT TELE: +229-99090711
Yours in service.
Thanks.
Mrs.YOYCE MADUOME
Finance Minister
Federal Republic of Benin

Anti-fraud resources: