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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.Terry Jones" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <terry_jones3@zoho.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 2010 16:06:15 -0700
Subject: From:Mr.Terry Jones

From: Mr.Terry Jones
Tel: +44 7024020694
DEAREST FRIEND
CONFIDENTIAL

I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW
ME. I AM Mr.Terry Jones, I WORK IN HSBC BANK LONDON, PACKAGING AND COURIER
DEPARTMENT.I GOT YOUR CONTACT AMONGST OTHERS FROM A SEARCH INTO THE I
NTERNET AND WAS INSPIRED TO SEEK YOUR CO-OPERATION WANT YOU TO HELP ME
CLEAR THIS PACKAGE.THAT IS ALREADY IN AMERICA WHICH I SHIPPED THROUGH OUR
HSBC ACCREDITED COURIER AGENT BUT THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS
$46,000,000.00 ALL IN$100.00 BILLS, BUT THE COURIER COMPANY DOESNOT KNOW THAT
IT IS MONEY THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE.

ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS, FILL THIS AND GET BACK TO ME, AND I HOPE
THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL HAVE 30% AND 70% WILL BE FOR ME .MY IDENTITY
MUST NOT BE REVEALED TO ANYBODY.

[1] Full Names:
[2] Contact address:
[3] Direct Telephone No:
[4] Date of birth:
[5] Occupation:

IF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY BY YOU, YOU CAN CALL OR E-MAIL ME (terry_jones@zoho.com)
FOR SECURITY REASONSOTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK
TO ME INCLUDING SENDING OF THE KEYS TO YOU

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR.Terry Jones.
(+44 7024020694).

Anti-fraud resources: