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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: clark patrick <c_lpt52@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <paclark@o2.pl>
Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2007 21:46:44 +0100
Subject: Re: we appreciate your reponse



Compliments of the season.I am Mr. Patrick Clark, bills and exchange manager of a bank in Switzerland. It is with excellent recommendation from a banking colleague of mine that I contact you with this business proposal. Due to the exact nature of this business proposal, I advice that there should be utmost confidentiality in all matters I shall discuss with you because it is only on this premise of reliability and implicit trust in our capabilities that the exact dividends of this proposal will be achieved.Privileged information and official Instruments at our disposal will enable this proposal in the right perspective for a 100% successful execution rate, it is therefore paramount for us to be assured of your discretion in handling details of this proposal which I will discuss with you once I receive an acknowledgement of this email from you with the assurance that even though, the possibility exist of you declining to this proposal, my identity can still be protected with your assured discretion. I await your response.Thank you.Sincerely,Mr. Patrick Clark.
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