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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: "Mr.Ibrahim abubakar" <direct_contact1961@yahoo.it>
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 11:59:24 -0600
Subject: VERY URGENT!!!!!

Attention Sir/Madam

Please don't be surprise to receiving this mail, I was appointed to pay all the foreign contractors that executed contract here in River State, after paying all the contractors, this amount of money was remaining in our custody, I decided to contact and present you as one of the contract beneficiaries so that I can transfer some part of the contract entitlement fund into your bank account What I require is utmost co-operation as this transaction involves a very large sum of money.

The money is 12 million but I want to transfer 6 million into a foreign account and return the remaining to Federal Government this is why I have decided to contact you to see if you will assist in the transaction as I have a very short period left to conclude with this contract payment proceedings.

Mr.Ibrahim abubakar

Special Adviser on Contract and
Fund Entitlement Matters

Anti-fraud resources: