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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: mary kipkalya <mary_4real201@att.net>
Reply-To: mary_4real202@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:06:46 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Hello My Dear

Hello My Dear,

I am well pleased to contact you after viewing your email address today
through (yahoo-forwarding page) i am interested in having communication
with you as a genuine friend, please dear write me back to my e-mail
address so that i can introduce myself to you and also give you my
pictures. i am waiting to hear from you soon.

Yours Mary

Anti-fraud resources: