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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: ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION EFCC <economicandfinancialcommission@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 13:58:10 +0100 (BST)
Subject: we help you refund your lost money


GOOD DAY VICTIMNAME,

THIS IS THE HEADQUARTER OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION HERE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. RESENTLY, WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE MANY OF THE INTERNET FRAUD STARS. THROUGH CONFESSION, WE WERE ABLE TO RECOVER MOST DOCUMENTS USE IN SCAMS AND COLLECTING MONEY FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.

YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS WAS AMONG AND WE ARE REQUESTED TO RETREIVE MOST OF THE MONEY FROM THESE CRIMINALS AND RETURN THEM BACK TO THE RIGHTFULL OWNERS,PLEASE YOU ARE KINDLY ADVISE TO CONTACT US IMMEDIATLY SO THAT WE CAN ASSIST BY REFUNDIND YOUR MONEY AND THESE CRIMINALS BROUGHT TO BOOK.YOU ARE TO CONTACT THE EFCC(THIS IS THE HEADQUARTER OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION ) IN UNITED KINGDOM FOR THE REFUNDING OF YOUR MONEY WITH THE EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW. DO NOT MISS YOUR GOLDEN CHANCE.

FROM DOCTOR.
HARRISON BIRD
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT.



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