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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: DIPLOMATIC JOHN WILLIAM <officefile2999@gmail.com>
Reply-To: diplomaticagent19@rocketmail.com
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:41:52 +1200 (NZST)
Subject: Here Is Your Package Unlock CODE(AWB33XZS




THIS IS DIPLOMATIC JOHN WILLIAM REPRESENTING DHL FROM BENIN REPUBLIC, I’M SENT TO DELIVER YOUR AWARD WINNING FUND OF $5.5M USD (FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) THAT YOUR EMAIL WON YOU ON VIA OUR ONLINE LOTTERY SYSTEM. FOR YOUR INFORMATION I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ARRIVE IN YOUR COUNTRY TODAY NOTE I CAME ALONG WITH THE FUNDS IN PERSON AS I WAS BEING DIRECTED BY OUR COURIER. I SHALL HANDOVER THE BOX TO YOU IMMEDIATELY I GET TO YOUR DESTINATION AND NOTE YOU MUST BE REQUIRE TO SIGN SOME VITAL DOCUMENTS BEFORE I CAN RELEASE THE BOX TO YOU.
 
FURTHERMORE, I WANT YOU TO RECONFIRM YOUR BENEFICIARY ADDRESS TO ME AS LISTED BELOW THIS IS REQUIRED FOR SECURITY REASON BEST NONE TO ME, AND TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR INFORMATION MATCH WITH THE ONE I HAVE ON MY FILE:
 
YOUR FULL NAMES:
CITY:
HOME ADDRESS:
HOME/OFFICE PHONE NUMBER:
YOU’RE E-MAIL:
AND LASTLY A SCANNED COPY OF YOUR ID CARD OR DRIVER LICENSE:
 
PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR WHATEVER INCONVENIENCES THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED YOU. I’M SORRY I OPENED YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX WITHOUT YOUR COMMAND AND WHAT I FOUND INSIDE WAS AMAZING, I COULD NOT BELIEVED WHAT MY EYES SAW INSIDE THE BOX I SAW PLENTY $$$$. I COUNTED THE ENTIRE MONEY THAT I FOUND INSIDE THE BOX AND IT WAS EXACTLY (FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) WHICH I BEGAN TO IMAGE HOW YOU MAY HAVE MANAGE TO EARN SUCH A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, ALTHOUGH, AT FIRST I WAS TOLD YOUR EMAIL WON YOU THE PRIZE! CLICK ON THE FILE ATTACHED TO YOU ON THIS EMAIL AND VIEW THE PICTURE OF THE FUND INSIDE THE CONSIGNMENT BOX YOURSELF.
 
FOR YOUR INFORMATION I AM CURRENTLY STUCK AT GARDEN CITY REGIONAL AIRPORT OVER HERE IN KANSAS CITY, YOU ARE TAX TO PAY $86 USD TO OBTAIN THE AUTHORITIES REQUIRED OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE OR ELSE THE AUTHORITIES WILL NOT AUTHORIZED THIS DELIVERY TO CARRY ON. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE $86 OUT FROM THE BOX, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT I DON’T HAVE ANY PERMISSION TO SEND OUT MONEY HERE IN THE STATES AND BESIDE I DON’T EVEN HAVE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO SEND MONEY. SO TO PROGRESS USE THE BELLOW INFORMATION TO SEND THE REQUIRED $86.00 USD VIA WESTERN UNION AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL:
 
RECEIVER’S NAME: MR.JAMES O. DIBOR.
CITY: COTONOU
COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC.
AMOUNT: $86.00 US DOLLARS
TEXT QUESTION: IN GOD?
ANSWER: WE TRUST!
MTCN….. ?
 
TRY YOUR BEST TO SEND THE INITIAL FEE TODAY SO THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO ARRIVE AT YOUR DESTINATION WITH YOUR CONSIGNMENT BOX LATTER THIS EVENING.
 
KIND REGARD’S
JOHN WILLIAM

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