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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: "Joy Adams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <joy.adams@accountant.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2015 12:32:06 -0700
Subject: Re: About Your Unpaid Fund

Dear Friend,

I am Miss Joy Adams, a computer scientist with Central Bank of Nigeria Account Dept. I am 26 years old, I came across your file which was marked X and your released disk painted RED, after studying it and found out that you have paid VIRTUALLY all fees and certificate but the fund has not been release to you. The most annoying thing is that they cannot tell you the truth that on no account will they ever release the fund to you, instead they let you spend money unnecessarily.

I can release this fund to you if you can certify me of keeping this confidential for those officers not to be away as my security is more important to me as my life will be in danger if they happens to know that I release the funds to you. Please this is like a Mafia setting here in Nigeria, you may not understand it because you are not a Nigerian. Also assure me of compensating me as soon you confirm the funds in your account.

The only thing I will need to release this fund is a special HARD DISK we call it HD120 GIG. I will buy two of it, recopy your information, destroy the previous one, punch the computer to reflect in your bank within 24 banking hours. I will clean up the tracer and destroy your file.

SPECIAL INFORMATION:

YOU WILL SEND THE FEE FOR THE HARD DISK FIRST BEFORE I MAKE YOUR TRANSFER OR YOU BUY THE HARD DISK IN YOUR COUNTRY AND SEND IT TOME, DON'T CONTACT ME IF YOU CAN NOT SEND THE HARD DISK FEE FIRST OR THEHARD DISK. AS SOON AS I RECEIVED YOUR EMAIL I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOWMUCH THE DISK WILL COST YOU.

Do get in touch with me immediately,You should send to me your convenient tell/fax numbers for easy communications and also reconfirm your banking details, so that there won't be any mistake. I will give you my direct telephone line for phone conversation as soon I receive your response.

Regards,
Miss Joy Adams.

Anti-fraud resources: