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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. Tanya Claude" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <humanitarianproject@kimo.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2011 20:50:40 -0000
Subject: Please reply urgent, From Mrs Tanya.

Strictly for less privileged home from Mrs Tanya Claude,
Please Reply!! Dear Respected Friend,

With Due Respect and Humanity, I was compelled to write to you under a humanitarian ground, however, this is not mandatory nor will I in any manner compel you to honor against your will.

Please I am contacting you to let you know my desire to establish a charity foundation in your country with this sum of US$6.3 Million (Six Million three hundred thousand United States dollars) which I inherited from my late husband (Dr.Bernard G. Claude) It is my desire to see that this money is invested to any organization of your choice in your country and distributed each year among the charity organizations, motherless baby's home, mosques, churches, Schools, supporting destitute aged men and women or whatever you may have in mind that will be to the benefit of the less fortunate.

I took this decision because I was raised from a motherless baby's home and Presently, I'm hospitalized here where I am undergoing treatment for my upcoming breast cancer surgery operation. Please reply as soon as possible, confirming your acceptance to this proposition so that I will give you all the relevant information that will authorize the release and transfer of the fund to you as my duly assigned representative.

Thank you in advance for your Consideration and I look forward hearing from you shortly.

Regards.

Mrs Tanya Claude

Anti-fraud resources: