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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: "Mrs. Riyam Laila Khairy" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <riyalahar@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2013 02:39:56 +0700
Subject: Investment partnership

Dear friend,
 
I wish you good health and love in the name of Almighty Allah. I know that this message might look very strange to you but please treat  and handle it with great concern.
 
My name is Mrs. Riyam Laila Khairy, the wife of late Mr. Ehab Taha Khairy, a member of former high class Libya political forum and a staunch supporter of late leader Colonel Muammar Muhammad Al-Gaddafi who lost his life in Libyan civil war/crises that started and ends in 2011.May their soul rest in perfect peace.
 
But before his death, he had a huge sum of money which was withdrawn from national bank of Libya by his boss late Colonel Muammar Muhammad Al-Gaddafi and was placed under his care but due to the ongoing serious war then, he decide to safe-keep this fund outside Libya.
 
So I write to seek your guidelines and assistance to invest this huge sum of money with you in your country so that it will be a new turning point to me as all my late husband had worked in life had been totally carried away by the destructive war.
 
My sincere regard to your good family and I wait for your positive interest to this issue on my email but if not interested, please delete this message.
 
On a serious note, this information must be kept very secret between me and you till we are successful in establishing a good investment with this money.
 
Sincerely,
 
Mrs.Riyam Liala

Anti-fraud resources: