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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: "STEVEN CHANG" <steven_chang10@msn.com>
Reply-To: stevenchang20@netscape.net
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 11:12:22 +0000
Subject: PART TIME JOB OFFER

Hello To you this lovely moment. I hope this email meets you in good faith. To introduce myself, My name is Steven Chang and I am an artist. I live in the United Kingdom with my two kids, four cats, one dog and the love of my life. It is definitely a full house. I have been doing artwork since I was a small child. That gives me about 23 years of experience. I majored in art in high school and took a few college art courses. Most of my work is done in either pencil or airbrush mixed with color pencils. I have recently added designing and creating artwork on the computer. I have been selling my art for the last 3 years and have had my work featured on trading cards, prints and in magazines. I have sold in galleries and to private collectors from all around the world.
I am always facing serious difficulties when it comes to selling my art works to Americans and Canadians whom I really love as a great people they are. They are always offering to pay with a  POSTAL MONEY ORDER or CASHIERS CHECKS or WIRE TRANSFER , which is difficult for me to cash/ clear here in The United Kingdom.
I am looking for a representative in the states who will be working for me as a partime worker and I will be willing to pay 10% for every transaction, which wouldn’t affect your present state of work, someone who would help me receive payments from my customers in the states. I mean someone that is responsible and reliable, because the cost of coming to The United States and Canada and getting payments is very expensive, I am working on setting up a branch in The United States and Canada, and so for now I need a representative in The United States and Canada who will be handling the payment aspect. I will also like to know that you wont be needing to put any money of yours in this and it will not be affecting your present state of work or your schedule.
These payments are in money order and they would be written out to you in your name and sent to you via courier, so all you need do is cash the money orders and checks, then deduct your percentage and wire the rest back.
But the problem I have is trust, but I have my way of getting anyone that gets away with our money, I mean the FBI branch in Washington gets involved.
It wouldn’t cost you any amount and you are to receive payments which will be sent to u by FedEx or USPS or UPS from my business partners or customers as you may prefer to call them, which would come in form of money orders and checks then you are to cash it and send the cash to me via Western Union Money Transfer or MONEYGRAM after deducting your own commision. All sending charges will be deducted from the money.  If you are interested, please get back to me as soon as possible via my direct email address below.
Regards
Steven Chang, GM
PORTFOLIO ARTWORKS INC
60 Plumstead High Street. London SE181SL
stevenchang20@netscape.net
stevenchang20@cashette.com
+447023054610
www.portfolioartworks.com
 

 
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