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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: AMBASSADOR thomas foley <james_ben111@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: unitedparcel1@w.cn
Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:07:48 +0100 (BST)
Subject: UNITED STATE OF AMERICA AMBASSADOR




UNITED STATE OF AMERICA AMBASSADOR
FROM US AMBASSADOR Thomas C, Foley.
US AMBASSADOR TO BENIN
11 GARKI ROAD COTONOU
COTONOU, BENIN
 
ATTN:
 
I SHALL BE COMING TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR AN OFFICIAL MEETING ON MONDAY AND I WILL BE BRINGING WITH YOUR FUNDS OF $10M ALONG WITH ME BUT THIS TIME I WILL NOT GO THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE AS AN AMBASSADOR TO BENIN, I AM A US  GOVERNMENT AGENT AND I HAVE THE VETO POWER TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS. AS SOON AS I AM THROUGH WITH THE MEETING I SHALL THEN PROCEED TO YOUR ADDRESS. (SEND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BRING THE PACKAGE).  YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH IN THIS DELIVERY THAT MAKES ME WONDER. YOU ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON BECAUSE I SHALL BE BRINGING IT MYSELF AND THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
 
YOUR PACKAGE($10M) MUST BE REGISTERED AS AN AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE FOR ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS AND THE COST OF REGISTERING IT IS $78.THE FEE MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 12 HOURS VIA WESTERN UNION SO THAT ALL NECCESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE  MADE BEFORE TIME WILL BE AGAINST US. SEND THE FEE VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
 
RECEIVER'S NAME: JOHN ONYI
ADDRESS: BENIN REPUBLIC
TEXT QUESTION: IN GOD?
ANSWER: WE TRUST
AMOUNT $78
 
AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE FEE MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE PAYMENT INFORMATION. MY FLIGHT IS MONDAY AND I EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY BEFORE THEN SO THAT THE DELIVERY CAN BE COMPLETED. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY, THEN IT WILL NOT BE MY FAULT IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE.
 
AMBASSADOR  thomas foley.
UNITED STATE OF AMERICA AMBASSADOR

Anti-fraud resources: