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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: "Mr. Roger Thompson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <roger_thompson@null.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2013 21:38:13 -0700
Subject: FROM MR. ROGER THOMPSON

201 Bishops gate london
EC2M 3AE
 
Dear Sir/Madam,
 
My names is Roger Thompson I am the finance director of Henderson group, Please contact me on my private email for an urgent deal, There is a client in our investment company who has the same last name with you and he died in the last Japan tsunami disaster with his entire family, he left a huge amount 5.5 million British pounds in Henderson group.
 
Please email me your contact number and your private email for more details, so that I can present you as the next of kin to get the fund out of our company for our own benefit.
 
Forward to me your full names, occupation and your private email address/telephone number.
 
I wait for your immediate responds so we could proceed.
 
Thank you,
Roger Thompson

Anti-fraud resources: