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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: wtnunion01@w.cn
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:38:04 +0100
Subject:



We write to inform you that we have already sent you
$10,000 US dollars through Western Union as we have
been given the mandate to transfer your full
compensation payment of $520,000.00 USD via Western
Union by the United Nations Government. So we decided
to email you the MTCN and sender's name, so you can
pick up this $10,000USD to enable us send another
$10,000USD by tomorrow as you know we will be
sending you only $10,000USD per day. Please pick up
this information and run to any Western Union in your
country to pick up the $10,000USD and call me back
to send you another payment tomorrow.

Officer incharge: Mr. George Vanbuskirk
Email : wtnunions@w.cn
Tel: +2348136743129

Call or email me once you picked up this $10,000USD
today. Here is the western union information, you can
also track it on-line at www.westernunion.com for
confirmation before going to their office to pick up
the money.

Sender Information's
Sender First Name: George
Sender Last Name: Vanbuskirk
MTCN;= 6845925765
Amount;= $10,000USD
Text Question= Prize
Text Answer= Win

Regards,
Mr. George Vanbuskirk
Call me via +2348136743129

Anti-fraud resources: