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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: TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL <transparency_intl@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2006 08:52:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Rufund of Fraudulently Collected Money


SIR,
THE TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC) IN NIGERIA, HAS ARRANGED TO REPATRAIT ALL FUNDS, DISCOVERED TO HAVE BEEN FRAUDULENTLY TAKEN AWAY FROM FOREIGNERS BY NIGERIAN SCAMMERS.
THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE 2006 ANTI-CORUPTION BILL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA.
TO THIS END, YOU HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE
VICTIMS OF THIS FRAUD.
THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION HAVE ARRESTED AND REOVERED SOME FUNDS DISCOVERED TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU. THE MONEY WHICH WAS EARLIER SEIZED BY THE CBN HAS NOW BEEN RELEASED FOR CLAIMS BY VICTIMS.
YOU ARE THEREFORE DIRECTED TO RESPOND TO THIS MAIL AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WE CAN ARRANGE MODALITIES
FOR THE TRANSFER OF YOUR CLAIMS.
BEST REGARDS,
DAVID JOHNSON
TRANSPARENCY INT'L (NIG)


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