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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: "mrs mary johnson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsmaryjohnson1987@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:26:41 +0100
Subject: Attnention

Attnention!

My name is Mrs mary johnson of the International Monetary Fund investigation
unit. Attached pictures was received and forewarded to our office here in
London UK today 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2010 requesting that your unclaimed fund be paid
to Messers Jacobs Enterprises.

In the said letter of change of beneficiary/ownership,representatives of
messers Jacobs
enterprises states that you are dead and as such your fund should be paid to
him as the next
of kin to you.

Because of the elaborate global scam, we decided to contact you for
confirmation. If after
two working days, no responce is received from you, it will be assumed that you
are dead and
as such authorisation and approval will be granted on behalf of Messers Jacobs
enterprises
to claim/receive your fund.

Confirm this pictures and reconfirm your Information to me the followings.

(1) Your full name........................................
(2) Phone, fax and mobile #..........................
3) company's name,position and address...........
4)profession, age and maritalstatus...........................
5) Copy of int'l passport or any scanned identity to prove
yourself..........................

And how you want your fund paid to you without further delay if you are still
alive. Send your responce to my email
address:mrsmaryjohnson1987@yahoo.com.hk
Regards

MRS MARY JOHNSON

Anti-fraud resources: