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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: "masaya wilfred" <masmasaya2@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:20:44 +0200
Subject: From: Wilfred T. Masaya


From: Wilfred T. Masaya
BidVest Bank South Africa.
Phone: 0027-847-567-141
Email: greatmasaya@gmail.com<http://uk.mc234.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=greatmasaya@gmail.com>

My name is Wilfred T. Masaya the manager, Credit and Foreign Bills of
BIDVEST BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA. I am writing in respect of a foreign customer
of our bank with account number 908-14-255-114 whose name is Chung Timothy,
(Mr.), and an American citizen who died in a plane crash [Korean Air Flight
801] with the whole passengers onboard on August 6, 1997. And for your
perusal you can view this website Ref:
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/06/guam.passenger.list

Since the demise of this customer, I personally have watched with keen
interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no one has
come to claim his funds of US$15.5M (Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) which has been with our branch for a very long time.
On this note, I decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as the Next
of Kin as no one has come up as his next of kin. And the banking ethics here
does not allow such money to stay long in the bank else it will be return to
the bank escrow account as unclaimed funds.

In view of this I got your contact through a trade journal when I was ma
king a research on a foreigner I will use in this great opportunity. For
your assistance I am willing to give you 20% of the total amount. Upon the
receipt of your response, I will send you by fax or e-mail the letter of
application which you will type sign and send back to our Bank to enable us
start this processing of this claim.

I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is hitch free and
that you should not entertain any fear as all modalities for the smooth and
easy transfer of this fund has been finalized, this transaction will be
completed within five banking days of receiving your response, after you
apply to the bank as next of kin to the deceased.

When you receive this message and you are interested, Kindly reply to my
private email addresses:
(greatmasaya@gmail.com<http://uk.mc234.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=greatmasaya@gmail.com>)
and forwards the following details below: or you can give me a call on my
direct phone number above.

1. YOUR NAMES
2. YOUR PHONE NUMBER
3. YOUR TYPE OF WORK
4. YOUR AGE
5. YOUR MARITAL STATUS
6. COUNTRY.

Yours Sincerely,

Wilfred T. Masaya
Phone: 0027-847-567-141
Email: greatmasaya@gmail.com<http://uk.mc234.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=greatmasaya@gmail.com>

Anti-fraud resources: