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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: "Prof. Larry Williams." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <thomas.hegland@ig.com.br>
Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2013 02:23:02 +0300
Subject: Re: Attn:Beneficiary Funds Approval ( $2,500,000.00 USD).

ECOWAS SECRETARIAT, ABUJA NIGERIA.
(date: 28/05/2013)
customers service hours--Monday to Saturday:
We hereby use this medium to formally inform you of the approval of your lottery/contract and inheritance payment from the Ecowas parliament West Africa. Which you have failed to claim because of either non-compliance of official processes or because of your unbelief of the reality of your genuine payment.
We therefore urge you to inform us on how you wish to receive your payment claim of $2,500,000.00 (Two Million Five hundred thousand united state dollars), either by diplomatic delivery or atm cash card. Also for your information, you have to stop any further communication with any other person (s) or office(s) to avoid any hitches in receiving your payment.
Your prompt response to this matter will be useful for the collection of your funds. More so, you should contact-Dr.Thomas Hegland ecowas
counselor;
(Tel....+23480-2313-2389
OR KINDLY EMAIL FOR MORE UPDATE:
thomas_hegland02@yahoo.cn
NB: kindly furnish your full details below on contacting the assigned agent;
Name:
Residential address:
Telephone number:
Sex:
Age:
Occupation
Yours faithfully,
Prof. Larry Williams.
International settlement.

Anti-fraud resources: