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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: "Mr. Brian Smith." <info@unitedkingdom.org>
Reply-To: <mr.marklee@obesityspark.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:21:56 -0600
Subject: Contact For Your ATM Master Card Of $500,000.00 USD

Attention: Dear Prominent User of The Internet
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? I hope this mail meets you in a perfect condition. This is from a total cash prize of US$25, 000000.00 Million dollars, given to the first FIFTY (50) people who will be compensated in this world internet programs. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site Through computer draw system and extracted from over 700.000 companies I am using this opportunity to thank you for using the internet daily.
Due to your effort, using internet programs indoor and in your office, We want to compensate you and show our gratitude to you with the sum of $500, 000.00 Thousand United States Of America Dollars in an international ATM Master Card we have authorized Mr. Mark Lee to assist your in getting your ATM Card across to you.
The name and contact address of Mark Lee is as follows;
COMPENSATION HEAD OFFICE
CONTACT AGENT: MR. MARK LEE
EMAIL: mr.marklee@obesityspark.com
Finally remember that I have forwarded instruction to the Mr. Mark Lee on your behalf to send the ATM Card of Five hundred thousand United State Of America Dollars to you as soon as you contact him without delay.
Please I will like you to accept this token with good faith as this is from the bottom of my heart.
Thanks and God bless you and your family. Hope to hear from you soon.
Mr. Brian Smith.
Presidential Library & Museum
Former Director International Online
Lottery Co-coordinator. © 2010 WORLD
INTERNET PROGRAMS®

Anti-fraud resources: