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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: "ECONOMIC FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <Mrs.Farida_Waziri@windowslive.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2011 18:22:45 +0100
Subject: Re:Notification of your ATM Card Delivery.

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION
15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi,Lagos Nigeria. 
 
Dear Beneficiary,
 
Please read this mail carefully and proceed to collect your ATM CARD worth US$10,500,000.00 payment.
 
Following this year's (2011) review of the global financial matters and just concluded investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION, it is revealed that your email is among the list of people who have never recieved any of their payments among lottery, inheritance, compensation and awarded contract funds and victims who have lost a lot of money to scammers while trying to claim their funds.
 
In view of the foregoing, a new payment of US$10,500,000.00 has been approved in your favor and credited into an ATM CARD which shall be delivered to you.
 
Note: Thousands of fraudsters have been using this method in scamming most foreign creditors, that we have in the payment list here in our office. We use this medium to inform you that any mail that does not come with the new communication code: NG/.CCUF -HFCR-/RLPHJ/. is false. In this case, you’re advice not to respond to any mail that does not come with the above communication code for safety purpose.
 
Our final conclusion was that, the fund should be paid to you via an automated teller machine card (ATM) as it seems, this will be easier and faster for you to receive.
 
Your new communication code: NG/.CCUF -HFCR-/RLPHJ/.
 
You are advice to email me back via my private emailbox at:Mrs.Farida_Waziri@windowslive.com
I await your prompt response
 
Regards,
 
Mrs. Farida Waziri.
Chairperson EFCC.

Anti-fraud resources: