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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: Florence Edward <arawahara@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Florence Edward <florenceedward11@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2014 19:28:14 +0900 (JST)
Subject: READ AND GET BACK TO US


My Dear
Beloved,
 
May you
have peace as you read this message, The reason why I am writing you this
letter is because of my inheritance fund that my late husband deposited under a
bank here, which was under my name as the beneficiary; the amount is the sum of
€9.5Million Euros (Nine Million Five Hundred thousand Euros) I have only one
Son, who is still little and with me right here.
 
Now, I have
decided to invest this fund where none of my late husband relatives will be
aware of this fund. I will like to invest the fund in your country or anywhere
for security and political reasons. I want you to assist me claim and retrieve
this fund into your personal account in your country for investment purposes.
 
Kindly
provide me with your details; your full Name, Your home address and your direct
telephone number and if possible with any of your ID. I believe if you accepted
to help me, you will not have any sprit to betray my trust. The documents of
this deposit are with me and the bank director who knows my late husband has
confirmed that the fund is still saving with their bank.
 
I await
your immediate response with your details if you can be honest and sincere to
help me without having any mind of betraying.
 
Sincerely
Mrs Florence Edward.

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