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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: JAMES <khkafer@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 22:21:21 -0400
Subject: COMPENSATION FOR YOUR PAST EFFORTS

DEAREST FRIEND,

I AM VERY HAPPY TO INFORM YOU ABOUT MY SUCCESS IN GETTING THAT FUND
TRANSFER AND. NOW I WANT YOU TO CONTACT MY SECRETARY ON THE INFORMATION
BELOW AND RECIEVE YOUR COMPENSATION OF 850.000.00 US DOLLARS FROM HIM:

NAME: Matt Davies
EMAIL: mattdvs1@hotmail.com

SEND HIM THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO PROVE YOURSELF TO HIM:

YOUR FULL NAME;...........
YOUR ADDRESS:..............
YOUR COUNTRY:..............
YOUR AGE:.....................
YOUR OCCUPATION:......
YOUR PHONE NUMBER:...

NOTE THAT IF YOU DID NOT SEND HIM THE ABOVE INFORMATION COMPLETE, HE
WILL NOT RELEASE THE CHEQUE TO YOU BECAUSE HE HAS TO BE SURE THAT IT IS
YOU.ASK HIM TO SEND YOU THE TOTAL SUM OF 850.000.00 US DOLLARS
CASHIER'S CHEQUE, WHICH I KEPT FOR YOU.

NOTE ALSO THAT I WILL NOT BE REACHED BY EMAIL OR PHONE FOR NOW BECAUSE
I AM CURRENTLY AWAY FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE WITH MY SHARE AND I WILL BE
BUSY TILL ABOUT SIX MONTHS TIME OR A YEAR.
REGARDS,
MR.JAMES BROWN.



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