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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: "Safiya Gadafi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: < smartkong_j@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Nov 2011 11:03:17 -0000
Subject: IMPORTANT........

HELLO MY LOVE ONE,

PEACE BE UNTO YOU IN THE NAME OF THE ALMIGHTY I AM SAFIYA WIDOW OF THE LATE PRESIDENT GADAFI.I AM CURRENTLY HIDING SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA AND FOR SECURITY REASONS AND MY SAFETY I WILL NOT REVEAL THAT TO YOU UNTIL I AM CERTAIN YOU WILL BE WILLING TO ASSIST ME ON THE DEAL.MY HUSBAND IS DEAD AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD AND THE HEAD OF THE NEW NTC GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO TRACK US AND RECOVER ALL THE FUNDS HE FEELS WAS STASHED ABROAD.BUT PERSONALLY I DO HAVE THE SUM OF $300,OOO,000,MILLION DOLLARS IN A BANK IN AFRICA AS WELL AS 120,000,000 IN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX IN Europe AND IT IS IN MY NAME AND I NEED TO MOVE IT OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ANOTHER NAME.I KNOW YOU MAY BE NOT BE HAPPY WITH THINGS YOU HEARD ABOUT MY HUSBAND BUT HE WAS A LOVING AND CARING FATHER AND HUSBAND AND FOR THAT REASON I ASK FOR YOUR HELP.

BUT THE QUESTION IS CAN I TRUST YOU WHEN THE FUNDS GETS TO YOU?YOU WILL TAKE YOUR 30% FOR THE ASSISTANCE AND KEEP THE REMAINING FOR US IN A SAFE CUSTODY AND WHEN THE SITUATION IS OVER, I CAN COME OVER FOR THE FUNDS

WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU
BEST REGARD
MRS SAFIYA GADAFI

Anti-fraud resources: