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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: rtaylor@mail2me.com
Date: Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:39:47 +0100
Subject: let see!


How are you and your family? Hope all is well. My name is Richard Taylor (Pvt) an American soldier, serving in the military with the US Army 3rd Infantry Division operating in Iraq.With a very urgent need of assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you. I found your contact particulars in an electronic address journal. I am seeking your kind assistance to move the sum of ($13 Million USD) to you,you must assured me, that my share of the total sum will be safe in your care until I complete my service here in Iraq.
Source of the money:
You can go to this web link to read about the event that took place here in Iraq:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm
For further details please contact me on my private Email below.
Richard Taylor (Pvt)
Personal E-mail: rtaylor@mail2me.com

Anti-fraud resources: