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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: Cynthia Reynolds <e451101027@exchange.1and1.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2013 11:37:09 -0500
Subject: You Have Been Nominated By OPEC Fund For Development!!!

>From The Office OPEC Fund for International Development Program.
 
You have been nominated to receive the sum of $1,000,000.00 USD (One Million United States Dollars) in the 2013 OPEC Fund for International Development Program Your email address attached to secured file #: OPEC/762OFID/UK emerged as a beneficiary in Batch BT-XW-00-AMEA.
 
This grant is release to some nominated persons in all regions worldwide. Selected individual must be willing to use the grant for the purpose for which the grant was given to improve the ecosystem in his/her place of domicile to bring together the minded persons in the region to create climatic and environmental awareness among the populace about issues which are threatening the environment today. The utilization of the funds should be judiciously deployed. Briefly these are the environmental challenges our society are facing today?
 
Example: Flood, tornado, hurricane, Volcanic Eruption, Earthquake, Conflicts, Hazardous Waste, Heat Wave, Tsunami, Cyclonic storms, Droughts, Hailstorms, Wildfire, Torrential Rainfall, Landslide and Typhoon, etc. These can lead to financial environmental or human losses. This grant fund is awarded to you to assist society/community affected by these kinds of environmental disasters.
 
Forward the following information to your fiduciary agent via this e-mail: (opec.fund.4development@lssq.net ) (Name, Phone, Country Age, and Batch/File Number).
 
Please include your file #: OPEC/762OFID/UK
 
With warmest regards,
 
Dr. Paul Cassy.
Publicity Directorate
OPEC Fund for International Development Program.

Anti-fraud resources: