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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: "J.Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jwilliamss@one.co.il>
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 08:26:21 -0800
Subject: Good.News

Dear,

This is to thank you for your past effort in helping to get the fund transferred to you. I am happy to inform you that I got a new partner from Brazil after you could not pay the fees required for the transfer of the fund to your bank account. The fund was transferred successfully to my new partner in Brazil and I relocated to Brazil with my family to start up a new life and invest with my own share of the money. It was unfortunate that we could not complete the transaction together, but to show you that I am a man of my word, though you did not have full trust in me, I left you the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds to compensation you for your last effort and commitment at that time.

Contact my secretary in South Africa with your security code for confirmation which is (WSER7KO/200) your full name and phone number and give him the address where to send you the check of Five Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds (GBP500,000.00)

His name is: Richard King
His email address is: richking@one.co.il

It is your obligation to pay Two Hundred US dollars tax waiver fee because you are not a citizen of South Africa where the check originated. This fee was issued after I issued the check, and it can not be deducted from the already issued check. So you have to pay the fee before the check will be sent to you. Ask Richard Kings how you are to send the fee to him, to enable him send your check to you.

Sincerely,
Dr. John Williams.

Anti-fraud resources: