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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: alex williams <alex_williams225@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: alex_willci@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:06:23 +0100 (BST)
Subject: From Alex Williams


From Alex Williams,

I am Mr Alex Williams Gbagbo .I need you to stand as my guardian to retrieve
my inheritance USD$11.5 Million dollars which my father deposited in a bank
here in Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire before his assasination for reasons which I
will let you know as soon as I hear from you, as my late father is a brother to Ex president Laurant Gbagbo who was captured and been in custody in Hague for now.
Thanks,
Williams Gbagbo

Très cher(e),
Je suis Monsieur Alex Williams Gbagbo .Je souhaiterais que vous m'aidiez à recuperer mon héritage
qui est estimé à USD$11.5 Million de dollars que mon père a déposé dans une banque ici en côte d'ivoire avant son assassinat pour des raisons que je vous ferai connaitre dès
que vous me recontacterez,comme mon défunt père est un frère de l'ex-président Gbagbo Laurant qui a été capturé et a été en garde à vue à La Haye pour l'instant
Je vous remercie d'avance.
Cordialement.
Williams Gbagbo.

Anti-fraud resources: