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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: Tara Johnson <johnsontara84@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2014 15:36:00 -0800
Subject: BUSINESS OFFER

Hello Dear,

PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE CAREFULLY! and I would love to know your response
ASAP.

My name is Tara Johnson. Am American and 32 years old. Please I need your
urgent assistance in receiving and securing my two suitcases containing the
sum of $4.3 million U.S dollars (four million three hundred thousand U.S
dollars) with you. You have absolutely nothing to fear because, this deal
is 100% risk and danger free. All you just have to do, is to follow all the
instructions i give to you and stick with them.

Please I would want you to keep this proposal as a top secret or you can
delete this message from your mail box, if you are not interested. Also
note that I am ready to offer you 30% of the above mentioned sum, if you
are ready to assist and cooperate with me in receiving and keeping these
suitcases for me, which are currently deposited with the UN diplomatic
channel in Cairo, Egypt. And the remaining 70% will be for me.

I will give you more details on this deal immediately you notify me with
your interest and readiness in working with me.

Waiting to hear from you soon Tara

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