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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: EARL SPENCER <earl.spencer@mail.ru>
Reply-To: <earlspencer33@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2012 10:42:26 +0200
Subject: REPLY SWIFTLY.

From: Earl Spencer
Citibank Frankfurt Main
Bolongarostr.127 65929 Frankfurt
Germany.
11th August 2012.
 
Hello Friend,
 
I am Earl Spencer, a permanent staff with Citibank Frankfurt Main. I seek your trust and assistance to transact this urgent mutual business with me. I am the account officer to Young wong Ridder,he died along with his family on a motor accident leaving a fixed sum of €4.7Million Euros. in my branch without a WILL.
 
 
He is originally from your country, though he relocated into the country not long ago from New York,USA and settled-down in Germany.This transaction will last for 10 (Ten) working days absolutely no risk involve.
 
If you are interested, all I need is your identification ID, mailing address and telephone numbers.With these details I will validate you as the next of kin in our database,via our head quarters in Berlin, and generate a certificate of deposit where late Young W Ridder declared you his next of kin.
 
Do let me know urgently by return mail with the needed information.This is confidential.
 
Regards,
Earl Spencer

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