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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: "tudor williams" <wtudor1@azet.sk>
Reply-To: <customerservicedbb@administrativos.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 19:57:23 +0200
Subject: OFFICIAL PAYMENT DIRECTIVE

Attn: Beneficiary,
 
This is to bring to your notice that I am delegated from the United Nations Office and Diamond Bank Plc. to pay 100 Benin Republic 419 scam victims $320,000.00 USD each, you are listed and approved for this payments as one of the scammed victims, get back to us as soon as possible for the immediate payments of your $320,000.00 USD compensations funds.
 
On this faithful recommendations, we want you to know that during the last UN meeting held at Proto Novo, Capital city of Benin Republic, it was alarmed so much by the rest of the world in the meeting on the lose of funds by various foreigners to the scams artists operating in syndicates all over the world today, in other to retain the good image of this country, the president of the country DR. YAYI IBONI is now paying 100 victims of this operators $320,000.00 USD each, Due to the corrupt and inefficient banking systems in Benin Republic, the payments are to be paid by Diamond Bank Plc. as corresponding paying bank under funding assistance by the National West minister bank London. According to the number of applicants at hand,84 beneficiaries has been paid ,half of the victims are from the United States and Asia, we still have more 16 people left to be paid in this compensations of $320,000.00 each.
 
Your particulars was mentioned by one of the syndicates who was arrested in Cotonou as one of their victims of the operations, you are hereby warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to him for any reason whatsoever, the US secret service is already on trace of the criminal, You can receive your compensations payments via DIAMOND BANK WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER (PAYMENT DEPARTMENT OFFICE).
 
Furthermore you are advice to reconfirm your billing address include your full name and direct contact telephone number to the Account Supervisor Diamond Bank Western Union Money Transfer Payment Consultant Office for the immediate transfer of your money through there department, the contact information is as follows:
 
DIMOND BANK PLC (FOREIGN PAYMENT DEPARTMENT)
Attn: Mr. Serge Zabu
Account Supervisor
E-mail: customerservicedbb@administrativos.com
Tel: +229 9813 1848
 
Call Mr. Serge Zabu immediately you get this mail to enable him speed up for your payment or you send him an e-mail forwarding all the necessary information’s required from you so that they will commence on processing. But I will advise that you try and call him to facilitate your payment.
 
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Williams Tudor

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