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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: "WESTERN UNION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <western_dpt@mail.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2012 20:21:40 +0330
Subject: WESTERN UNION HOLDINGS.

Dear Sir / Madam,
For 156 years, WESTERN UNION has been connecting people. At WESTERN UNION, there's so much more than acrimony you're sending. Every sender and receiver is
important to us. To celebrate our 156th Anniversary Switzerland , we're rewarding our customers with prizes of USD60, 000.00 Because you sent money on-line,
from an agent location or received money through WESTERN UNION , you've been selected. However, you are required to forward the following information for
immediate payment of your USD60, 000.00.
1.) Bank Name:
2.) Beneficiary:
3.) Account Number:
4.) Bank Address:
5.) Swift Code or Routing Number:
6.) Your Mobile Telephone Number:
7.) YOUR ID ;;;;;;;;
8) Ocupation
9) Country
You will be contacted by a WESTERN UNION in the next 24 hours as soon as you forward your required information and you will receive the USD60, 000.00 prizes
immediately from us. Save time, send money, earn rewards! WESTERN UNION is a service people trust.
 
ANNIVERSARY DAY
Thank you for using WESTERN UNION !
EMAIL:WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER (western_dpt@mail.com)
TELEPHONE +2348024301034
-----------------------------------------------------
We endeavor to maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to guard your Information. We also endeavor to restrict Information access to our
employees, agents and representatives that need to know it. Money Gram will never disclose your personal or billing information to a third party.western
union Money Transfer.

Anti-fraud resources: