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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: AGENTOLIVER <@info.co.uk>
Reply-To: oliver_edwards@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 14 May 2014 22:43:54 -0700
Subject: Hello


Hello, I am Oliver Edwards, head officer Storage unit at Hartsfield-Jackson=
international Airport Atlanta Georgia. I have contacted you concerning an =
abandoned consignment box which I discovered in our storage house and the x=
-ray scan report box revealed some US dollar bill in it which could be appr=
oximately two million dollars. The baggage was abandoned by a diplomat from=
London who was on transit to your city due to his inability to pay the dip=
lomatic baggage non-inspection fee of two thousand and nine hundred dollars=
and the official paper of the baggage indicates your name, your address an=
d your email address. For me to confirm you as the recipient, you are to em=
ail me your full names,your full address, your telephone number and the nea=
rest airport close to you to cross-check if it corresponds with the details=
on the official document. All communication must be held extremely confide=
ntial because I have taken it upon myself to contact you personally about t=
his abandoned baggage so that we can transact it as a deal since it has not=
yet been returned to the United States Treasury Department as unclaimed de=
livery.Once I confirm you as the recipient,I will pay the non-inspection fe=
e of two thousand and nine hundred dollars and arrange for the baggage to b=
e delivered to your door-step or I can bring it myself to ensure a successf=
ul delivery but you have to assure me of 20% of the total money in the bagg=
age. I can get everything concluded within 48hrs upon your acceptance and p=
roceed to your address for delivery. Do send the required details to my pri=
vate email address (oliver_edwards@hotmail.com) I will give you a call when=
I get your response. Regards, Oliver

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