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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. SAFIA GADDAFI" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <safia6012@blumail.org>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:34:12 -0000
Subject: I Need your Help.

Dear sir/madam,

I am Mrs. SAFIA GADDAFI , the wife of MUAMMAR GADDAFI, the Libya leader who died recently in Libya. Since the death of my husband , I have been thrown into a state of antagonism, confusion, humiliation, frustration and hopelessness by the present leadership of ABDEL_RAHIM AL-KEEB the new new Prime Minister of Libya.

I have even been subjected to physical and psychological torture. As a window that is so traumatized, I have lost confidence with everybody in the country at the moment. You must have heard over the media reports and the Internet on the discovery of some fund in my husband secret bank account and companies and the allegations of some huge sums of money deposited by my husband in my name of which I have refuses to disclose or give up to the Libya Government.

In fact the total sum allegedly discovered by the Government so far is in the tune of about $6.5 Billion Dollars. And they are not relenting on their effort to make me poor for life. As you know, the Muslim community has no regards for woman, more importantly when the woman is from a christian background,hence my desire for a foreign assistance. You can also view the following link for more details

http://gawker.com/5852384/muammar-gaddafi-might-have-been-the-richest-person-in-the-world

I have deposited the sum of $18.5 million dollars with a Security firm in Europe whose name is withheld for now until we open communication. I shall be grateful if you could receive this fund as safe keeping and advice for any Investment opportunity. This arrangement will be known to you and I alone and all our correspondence should be strictly on email alone because our government has tapped all my lines and are monitoring all my moves.

Please expedite action.

Yours sincerely

Anti-fraud resources: