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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: "Mr. Martin Holmes" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <martinholmes113@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 13:16:38 +0200
Subject: Please Confirm Receipt

Attention;
 
I am Mr. Martin Holmes from the Office of Inspection Unit/United Nations Agency in Barajas International Airport Madrid-Spain. During my recent routine check at the Airport Storage/vault on withheld packages; I discovered an abandoned shipment from a Diplomat from  Africa to Madrid-Spain,Madrid to your country, when scanned it revealed an undisclosed sum of money in two Metal Trunk Boxes weighing approximately 25kg each and some people are coming after this consignment to clam it in your name.
 
The consignment was abandoned because the Contents was not properly declared by the consignee as “MONEY" rather it was declared as personal effect to avoid interrogation and also the inability of the diplomat to pay for the INTERNATIONAL CONSIGNMENT MONEY MOVEMENT Charges Before bringing in the consignment into SPAIN and we refused to return back the consignment where it came from since, we have already received it here in SPAIN. On my assumption, each of the box contain not less than $5 Million to $5.5Million and the consignment is still left in our Storage House here at the Barajas International Airport Madrid-SPAIN till date. The details of the consignment including your name, your email address and the official document from the United Nations office in Geneva are tagged on the Metal Trunk boxes in your favor.
 
But to enable me confirm if you are the actual recipient of this consignment, I will advise you to provide your current Phone Number and Full Address to enable me cross check if it corresponds with the address on the official documents including the Name of the nearest Airport around your city. Please note that this consignment is supposed to have been returned to the Spain Treasury Department as unclaimed delivery due to the delay in concluding the clearance processes. Therefore you are advice to respond to this message and call me immediately as you read.
 
Once I receive your above requested information I can get everything concluded within 3-6 hours upon your acceptance and proceed to your address for delivery. I am always out of office for inspection, so if I am unable to reply immetatily you should know that I have gone for inspection just email me and make sure you include your mobile number so that I can give you a call.
 
Mr. Martin Holmes
Office of Inspection
Barajas International Airport
Madrid-Spain.
Email:martinholmes113@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources: