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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: etuk william <etukwilly42@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 07:54:48 -0800 (PST)
Subject: VERY URGENT.


DEAR IAN,

ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WILL SAY. I HAVE REALISED THAT YOU ARE JUST TAKING THIS TRANSACTION LIKE A CHILD PLAY. I SEE NO REASON WHY YOU WILL STILL TELING ME THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO CALL ME THROUGH MY OWN PRIVATE LINE BUT YOU DON'T GET ME THROUGH.
OKAY, WHY CAN'T YOU FILL THE APPLICATION I SENT TO YOU AND FORWARD TO THE BANK FOR THE APPROVAL OR WHY NOT SEND YOUR NUMBER TO ME TO CALL YOU.

PLEASE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE THINKING THAT I AM A GHOST OR A SPIRIT WHY YOU ARE INSISTING THAT YOU MUST TALK WITH ME BEFORE YOU CAN FILL THE APPLICATION I SENT TO YOU.

I WANT TO ASK YOU, ARE YOU READY TO DO THIS BUSINESS WITH ME OR NOT?
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU THE REAL TRUTH.

YOURS SINCERELY,
ETUK WILLIAM



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