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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: "Springer" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tspringer1999@airsoftmail.com>
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:06:36 -0000
Subject: Of Urgent Importance!!

>From Terry Springer,

My name is Mr Terry Springer and I wish to inform you that there are moves by the United Nations Economic Commission to confiscate and establish some facts on the reasons why the held funds should and must be confiscated and if this interests you to know and to also find a way to do everything possible in other to receive the money with us within the next few days,please reply to this mail without delay so that I will tell you what to do.

Furthermore please this is a very top secret that must be kept between you and me not even your confidant must get to know or hear this because what I want to do is such a thing that must be kept a top secret from every of your close associates and even family members until you finally receive the money in your account I repeat do please keep this arrangement between you and me only as I look forward to your reply.

Thank you so very much for honouring this letter.

Terry Springer

Anti-fraud resources: