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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.JOHN WALKER" <ftakashi1218@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: "MR.JOHN WALKER" <mr.johnwalker@ymail.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2015 06:18:10 +0900 (JST)
Subject: REPLY URGENT I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE


DEAR,
 
MY NAME IS MR.JOHN
WALKER OF TELEX/COMPUTER DEPARTMENT OF THE AFRI BANK, PORT HARCOURT -
NIGERIA. I AM SENDING THIS PRIVATE EMAIL BASED ON THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF
THE TRANSACTION. PLEASE, I WILL LIKE TO ADVISE; IF AFTER GOING THROUGH
MY PROPOSAL AND YOU DO NOT ACCEPT IT, KINDLY KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.
 
AS
OF THIS MOMENT, I AM STILL IN SERVICE WITH THE AB NIGERIA.  AND I WILL
NOT BY ANY MEANS LIKE TO LOSE MY JOB, SO IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED, KEEP
THIS TO YOURSELF. I HAVE PUT IN OVER 23 YEARS IN THIS BANK BUT I DO NOT
HAVE ANYTHING TO SHOW FOR IT. THIS IS JUST MY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE
THAT I GIVE MY CHILDREN A DECENT TRAINING SINCE MY GOVT WHICH IS CORRUPT
HAS REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY. INFANT I AM SICK AND
TIRED OF EVERYTHING HERE AND I NEED TO GET OUT.
 
I FOUND OUT THAT
YOU ALMOST MET ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS IN RESPECT OF YOUR
PAYMENT. PLEASE BE EQUALLY ADVISED THAT NO SECURITY COMPANY IN AFRICA
CAN HANDLE YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT/INHERITANCE FUND WITH ANY BANK WITHOUT
THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE AFI BANK, NIGERIA.
 
YOUR PROBLEM IS THAT
OF INTEREST GROUP IN THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO
ORDER TRANSFER OF YOUR FUND WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE AB. A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR PAYMENT AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU RECEIVE
EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE EVERYDAY, THEIR WHOLE GAME
PLAN IS TO FRUSTRATE YOU; IN-ORDER FOR YOU TO ABANDON THE PAYMENT AND
THEN, THEY WILL BE COMFORTABLE AND BE FREE ENOUGH TO TRANSFER THE FUNDS
INTO THEIR OVERSEAS ACCOUNT. THEIR AIM AND TARGET IS NOT THE MONEY YOU
ARE GIVING THEM BUT TO FRUSTRATE YOU, HENCE, YOU HAVE LOST TRUST ON WHOM
TO BELIEVE TO BE GENUINE.
 
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS MAY LAST
FOR YEARS, YET NOTHING HAPPENS,TO SUM IT UP, I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT
WITH MY POSITION HERE IN THE TELEX DEPARTMENT, I CAN PUNCH THE COMPUTER
AND CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT STRAIGHT, I CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS UNDER FIVE
WORKING DAYS, BUT WE HAVE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT. FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE
TO LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH YOU WILL GIVE ME AT THE CONSUMMATION OF THIS
DEAL.
 
FINALLY, YOU WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL IF YOU ACCEPT MY PROPOSAL, KINDLY GET BACK TO ME
IMMEDIATELY ON MY PRIVATE MAIL ADDRESS AND CONFIRM YOUR PARTICULARS ON
REPLY.
 
REGARDS,
 
MR.JOHN WALKER

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