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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Karen Norman" <karen2004@sino.net> (may be fake)
Reply-To: karen2005@sino.net
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 10:23:53 +0000
Subject: From Mrs Karen Norman.

DEAR SIR,

I AM MRS KAREN NORMAN.THE CHIEF CORPORATE INVESTMENT BANKER OF A BANK IN UK.I MUST
SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN WHAT AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU.THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF IT'S NATURE
AS BEING HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AND URGENT.

I AM LOOKING FOR A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE A CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS TRANSACTION.
A LEADING BUSINESS MAN AND STATEMAN OF A FAR EASTERN COUNTRY UNTIL HIS DEATH RECENTLY,
BANKED AND HAD A CLOSING BALANCE OF US$8M (EIGHTMILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) IN
A FIXED DEPOSIT ACCOUNT. WHICH THE BANK UNQUESTIONABLY EXPECTS TO BE CLAIMED BY
ANY AVAILABLE FOREIGN NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE LATE BENEFICIARY OR ALTERNATIVELY BE GIVEN
TO A NOMINATED CHARITY IN UNITED KINGDOM. I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU REGARDING
TO THIS FUNDS.

THANKS,

BEST REGARDS,

MRS KAREN NORMAN.


Anti-fraud resources: