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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: "MR.MICHAEL EFE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michaelefe36@e-mail.ua>
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:57:19 +0100
Subject: IN REGARD TO YOUR MASTER CREDIT CARD PACKAGE WITH U.P.S</DIV>

 
 
 
 
IN REGARD TO YOUR MASTER CREDIT CARD PACKAGE WITH U.P.S
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL ALERT FROM UPS IN REGARD TO YOUR PACKAGE WHICH HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR TWO WEEKS NOW AND THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING AGENT IN CHARGE PLANNED TO RETURN YOUR PACKAGE TO THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE OF NIGERIA. THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOUR MASTER CARD CONTAIN IS $2 .5 USD MILLION USD AND THIS INCLUDE INTEREST RATE UP TILL DATE.THE MASTER CARD WAS PROGRAMMED TO HAVE ACCESS GLOBALLY WHICH YOU CAN MAKE WITHDRAW OR TRANSACTION IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD
.
IT SEEMS YOU DON'T WANT TO SHOW ANY SERIOUSNESS TOWARD THE SHIPMENT OF YOUR PACKAGE THAT WHY HE WANT TO RETURN IT AN HE NEED PERMISSION FROM ME FIRST BEFORE HE WILL RETURN THE PACKAGE. I ORDER HIM TO STOP AND I ALSO ASSURE HIM THAT I WILL MAKE SURE THE CHARGE FEE REQUIRED TO ENABLE THE SHIPMENT WHICH IS $ 110 WILL BE PAID AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST FEE REQUIRED.
IN REGARD TO YOUR MASTERCARD PACKAGE WHICH WORTH $2 .5 USD MILLION USD I WILL HELP YOU AND MAKE SURE YOU RECEIVE IT AND MY INVESTIGATION SHOWS YOU HAVE SPENT A LOT RECENTLY IN REGARD TO THIS PACKAGE AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST FEE.
REMEMBER YOU HAVE SPENT A LOT TOWARD THIS PACKAGE ONCE THE CHARGE FEE REQUIRED NOW IS PAID SHIPMENT WILL COMMENCE AND YOU WILL RECOVER ALL YOU HAVE SPENT RECENTLY. THE CHARGE FEE REQUIRED NOW IS NOT MUCH SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE LAST FEE NEEDED WHICH IS $ 110 USD ONLY MY ADVICE TO YOU IS TO GO AHEAD AND SEND THE CHARGE FEE VIA WESTERN UNION. THE WESTERN UNION INFORMATION BELOW BELONG TO PAUL UTOMI THE BRANCH MANAGER OF UPS INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING DEPARTMENT NIGERIA. SEND $110
RECEIVER NAME: PAUL UTOMI
LOCATION: LAGOS NIGERIA
TEXT QUESTION: OK
ANSWER: OK
AMOUNT:$110 USD
MTCN#
SURE SHIPMENT COMMENCE ONCE THE CHARGE FEE IS PAID. SENDER NAME????MTCN NUMBER???FULL SENDER ADDRESS USED:???TEXT QUESTION???ANSWER???? AWAIT YOUR REPLY AND REMEMBER SHIPMENT WILL COMMENCE TODAY AND IT WILL TAKE ONLY 26 HOURS TO GET THE PACKAGE SHIPPED TO YOU.
HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY
BEST REGARDS,
FROM
 
 
MR.MICHAEL EFE

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