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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: HELEN TAYLOR <helentaylor111@web2mail.com> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 20:25:59 +0200
Subject: AWAITING YOUR PROMPT AND STRICT CONFIDENTIAL RESPONSE

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

COMPLIMENTS OF THE DAY TO YOU.

MY NAME IS HELEN TAYLOR,THE DAUGHTER OF FORMER LIBERIAN PRESIDENT,
CHARLESTAYLOR,I AM SEEKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN COLLECTING MY
FATHER'S MONEY THAT IS IN A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN EUROPE AMMOUNTING TO EIGHT MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR PURPOSE OF INVESTMENT.

FOR DOING THIS YOU WILL BE REWARDED THE SUM OF ONE MILLION TWO HUNDRED
AND SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS WHICH IS FIFTEEN PERCENT OF THE TOTAL
SUM IN QUESTION.

PLEASE I NEED YOU TO CONTACT ME WITH YOUR FULL NAMES,PHONE AND FAX.

AWAITING YOUR PROMPT AND STRICT CONFIDENTIAL RESPONSE

HELEN TAYLOR

N:B PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM PRESENTLY IN HIDING DUE TO THE ARREST OF MY
FATHER WHO IS FACING TRIAL NOW,SO I WILL PREFER US TO COMMUNICATE VIA
EMAIL AND I CAN ALSO CALL YOU FROM PUBLIC PHONE,USE THIS MY
CONFIDENTIAL EMAIL TO RESPOND URGENTLY.




Anti-fraud resources: