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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: Roddick Obo <roddick_obo20@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <rodick_obo@myway.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 20:40:39 +0100
Subject: Favour You



STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.
I AM MR. RODDICK OBO; I WORK IN THE AREEB TRUST BANK PLC COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN, WEST AFRICA, PACKAGING AND COURIER DEPARTMENT. I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR A HONEST PERSON THROUGH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE AREEB TRUST BANK WHO SAID THAT I CAN CONFIDE IN YOU. I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY INTACT WHICH WILL BE SHIPPED IN THROUGH OUR AREEB TRUST BANK ACCREDITED COURIER AGENT BUT THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS ($22,000,000.00) ALL IN $100.00 BILLS, BELONGING TO OUR LATE PRESIDENT THAT HAS DEMISE, BUT THE COURIER COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS HIS MONEY THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE.
ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS TO FORWARD TO ME THIS BELOW INFORMATION. YOUR FULL NAME, AGE, OCCUPATION, RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS OR OFFICE CURRENT, PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX NUM, MARITIAL STATUS. AND I HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL HAVE 30% AND 70% WILL BE FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES.
IF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY BY YOU, OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL AND FEEL THAT YOU WILL ASSIST ME IN THIS MATTER, SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS ON HOW TO GET THE CONSIGNMENT OF MONEY DELIVERED TO YOUR ADDRESS AND YOUR SINCERITY TOWARDS THIS MATTER.
YOURS FAITHFULLY, MR. RODDICK OBO
_________________________________________________________________
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