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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: oskar loewe <je109va@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <oskarloewe@nokiamail.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2014 13:30:50 +0000
Subject: =?Windows-1252?Q?Please_let?= =?Windows-1252?Q?=92s_work_to?=
=?Windows-1252?Q?gether.?=


Please let’s work together.Dear Respectful,My name is loewe oskar a banker by profession.I want us to make a deal if you can trust me as I trust you before making this contact. There is this $8.5 million USD in our bank which the owner is dead without any nest of kin. In less that 6 months from now the bank will close the account and move the money to the government treasury because it has not been claimed for years as required by the financial laws of the Republic of Cote D’Ivoire. I want to present you as the nest of kin to the late owner and we shall share the money 50 by 50 when transferred into your account.
Contact me if you are ready so that I will give you full details and the modalities to actualize the deal.
loewe

Anti-fraud resources: