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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Eric Taylor" <erictaylor@liberianmail.net>
Reply-To: erictaylor22@libero.it
Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 02:19:13 +0000
Subject: MAIL FROM ERIC TAYLOR

EMAIL: eric_taylor22@libero.it
FROM THE DESK OF MICHEAL TAYLOR.
DEAR SIR/MA

I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE
YOU DO NOT KNOW ME I AM MR MICHEAL TAYLOR, THE SON OF THE
FORMER LIBERIA PRESIDENT MR. CHARLES TAYLOR. I AND
MY FAMILY IS ON EXILE .

I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR AN HONEST PERSON
WHOM I CAN CONFIDE IN.

I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY IN EUROPE WHICH I
SHIPPED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC MEANS WITH THE HELP OF A DIPLOMAT BUT THE
CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS $10,000,000.00ALL IN $100.00 BILLS,BUT THE
DIPLOMAT DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS MONEY THAT
I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE.

ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS,GIVE ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESS,YOUR
PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX I WILL GIVE YOU THE CONTACT OF THE DIPLOMAT AND I HOPE
THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL HAVE 30% AND 70% WILL BE FOR ME.MY
IDENTITY MUST NOT BE REVEALED TO ANYBODY.

IF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY,
OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU
GET BACK TO ME INCLUDING SENDING OF THE KEYS TO THE
BOXES TO YOU .

AS SOON YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
ERIC TAYLOR.

IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL AND FEEL THAT YOU WILL ASSIST ME IN THIS
MATTER, SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS ON HOW TO GET THE CONSIGNMENT OF MONEY
DELIEVER TO YOUR ADDRESS AND YOUR SINCERITY TOWARDS THIS MATTER,URGENTLY
REPLY ME ONLY ON MY PRIVATE EMAIL: eric_taylor22@libero.it


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Anti-fraud resources: