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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: "John Edward" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cbn@helixnet.cn>
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2014 15:34:27 +0100
Subject: GOOD NEWS!!!

Hello my good friend,
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? I hope this mail finds you in an excellent condition of health. But if you do not remember me, you have received an email from me in the past regarding a multi-million-dollar business proposal which we never concluded. I am using this opportunity to inform you that the multi-million-dollar business has been concluded with another Merchant who financed it to a logical conclusion.
I thank you for your great effort towards our unfinished transfer of fund into your account, due to one reason or the other best to known you at that time. Due to the effort, courage, sincerity and trustworthiness you showed during the course of the transaction, I want to compensate you and show my gratitude to you with the sum of Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars.
I have left an international certified bank draft for you worth Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars, cashable anywhere in the world. At the moment, I'm very busy here in China, trying to invest my own share of the funds with my new partner. My dear friend, please contact my account officer, Mr Christopher Nwafor, so that he will send the bank draft to you without any delay. Below is his contact information:
CONTACT PERSON: Mr Christopher Nwafor
EMAIL: christophernwafor@gmail.com
You should send him your full Name, telephone number and contact address and ask him to release the bank draft to you because i have instructed him.
Cordial wishes,
Dr. John Edward

Anti-fraud resources: