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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: Terry Hanshaw. <hr@mail.yamoffice.yam.com>
Reply-To: <pswanson1@yahoo.cn>
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2011 16:07:51 -0400
Subject: Re: PAYMENT CODE: WU/1010/QEK4 66

INTERCONTINENTAL E-MAIL BALLOT
AWARD. PAYMENT CENTER
PAYCODE: WU/1010/QEK4

This is to inform that your funds was transferred this evening on a Bank Draft through
the help of Mr. Philip Swanson an Agent in W/U, we were unable to send the whole of
$700,000USD. Western Union says that the maximum transfer per day is $4,500 and
that is what was sent so as to continue the rest of the transfer tomorrow, Also W/U
demanded that we must pay for remittance to have $4,500 released from Draft before
you can have pick up information sent to you. And this is GBP 98pounds which has to be
paid through Mr. Philip Swanson,

MTCN:......5929755873
SENDER NAME:... Mr. Greg Fisher.
AMOUNT:........$4,500 USDollars
Available for Pickup

They requested that you should write Mr. Swanson with the below email id for direction on
how to send the remittance fee of GBP 98pounds.

Here is Mr. Swanson
Email: pswanson1@yahoo.cn
Or call him at +447045798052.

Thank you.
Terry Hanshaw.

Anti-fraud resources: