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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: marvin thomas <marvinthomas_2000@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:31:19 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: My Dear Friend


My Dear Good Friend,
I know you may be surprise to receive this information, whereby you do not know me before, however; I wish to introduce you to a business deal which will be beneficial to both of us, and which has to be kept confidential.
My name is Barrister Marvin Thomas, an international Lawyer base here in Nigeria. I wish to seek for your consent to present you as the next of kin to my late client since you are from the same country.
Is about a national of your country who died early last year on a motor accident with the wife and two children leaving behind a huge sum of US Dollars, but did not appoint any next of kin.I want you to know that with your assistance and my professional advise we would get access to this fund, meanwhile, I have agreed to give you 30% upon using you as the next of kin to my late
client.
I look forward to your positive response and would like you to contact me immediately for further discussion through this my yahoo private email address; barristermarvinthomas@yahoo.com
Send along your telephone number so that I can call you for further informations.
Best Regards.
Barr.Marvin Thomas


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