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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: "richard taylor" <r_taylor_cbn@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: rtaylor@mail.vu
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 20:17:37 -0600
Subject: FROM MR RICHARD TAYLOR

FROM THE DESK OF MR RICHARD TAYLOR
OF CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA,
PACKAGING AND COURIER DEPARTMENT NIGERIA.

DEAR FRIEND

I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW
ME .I AM MR RICHARD TAYLOR I WORK IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA,
PACKAGING AND COURIER DEPARTMENT.

I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR A HONEST PERSON THROUGH ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE CENTRAL BANK WHO SAID THAT I CAN CONFIDE IN YOU
.I
WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY IN EUROPE WHICH
I
SHIPPED THROUGH OUR CBN ACCREDITED COURIER AGENT BUT THE CONTENTS OF
THE
PACKAGE IS $25,000,000.00 ALL IN $100.00 BILLS, BUT THE COURIER
COMPANY
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 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 BY
YOU ,YOU CAN CALL E-MAIL ME FOR SECURITY REASONS.OTHER MODALITIES WILL
BE
DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME INCLUDING SENDING OF THE KEYS
TO THE
BOXES TO YOU.

NOTE:COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE STRICTLY. THROUGH E-MAIL FOR SECURITY
REASONS.

YOURS FAITHFULLY.
MR RICHARD TAYLOR


Anti-fraud resources: