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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: Pet Exhibition <> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 19:22:33 +0100
Subject: Pet Exhibition 2011 site

FROM MR. MICHAEL ECRA. EMAIL: ECRAMICHAEL@YAHOO.COM DEAR FRIEND, MY NAME IS MR. MICHAEL ECRA, I AM A FORMER BANKER WITH ICB BANK NOW RETIRED I WISH TO SEEK YOUR CO-OPERATION AS MY PARTNER TO INVEST (US$20.550MILLION) IN THE STABLE ECONOMY OF YOUR COUNTRY,THIS FUNDS CAME AS A RESULT OF DEPOSITORY MADE BY A FOREIGN INVESTOR FOR AN INVESTMENT PROGRAM THAT HAS REMAINED DORMANT FOR YEARS NOW.I DISCOVERED THAT THE ACCOUNT HOLDER DIED WITHOUT MAKING A WILL ON THE DEPOSITORY AND ALSO I CAN ARRANGE FOR THIS FUNDS BE TRANSFER OR DONE PHYSICAL IN GOLD BULLION IF YOU WISH TO PROCEED THIS TRANSACTION IN GOLD OR BY WIRE TRANSFER FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME FOR DETAIL AND MODALITIES. THIS MONEY CANNOT BE APPROVED TO A LOCAL BANK ACCOUNT HOLDER BUT CAN ONLY BE APPROVED TO A FOREIGNER, IF YOU WILL STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO THE FUND, IT WILL BE SHARED 50%50%, AS THIS IS A TWO MAN BUSINESS DEAL TRANSACTION. THE FUND IN QUESTION SHALL BE USE FOR INVESTMENTS AND IT COULD BE USE IN ANY AREA VIABLE B! USINESS AVAILABLE IN YOUR COUNTRY AND BOTH OF US SHALL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP FOR WHATEVER SHALL ASSOCIATES TO SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT. I SHALL PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE DETAILS IF YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST AND I AM WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU IN PARTNERSHIP,I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE AND CO-OPERATION TO THIS REALITY AS I HAVE DONE MY HOME WORK AND BEST TONE TO CREATE YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY TO THE FUND ALTHOUGH INTERNET SCAM HAS BETRAYED TRUST OF INTERNET BUT THIS IS A TRUE DEAL,I SEND YOU THIS MAIL NOT WITHOUT A MEASURE OF FEAR AS TO WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES BUT I KNOW WITHIN ME THAT NOTHING VENTURED IS NOTHING GAINED ALSO THAT SUCCESS AND RICHES NEVER COME EASY, THIS IS TRUTH I HAVE LEARNED IN LIFE IF THIS OFFER IS ACCEPTABLE BY YOU, NOTIFY ME IMMEDIATELY WITH YOUR FULL CONTACT DETAILS TO ENABLE ME REACH YOU FOR MORE DETAIL WITH REGARDS MICHAEL ECRA REPLY ME VIA MY EMAIL: ( uncaps@disposable.com ) wants to recommend http://www.petexpo.ie/ (http://www.petexpo.ie/) to you

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