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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: "Goodluck Smart" <goodlucksmart@gmail.com>
Reply-To: goodlucksmart1@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 25 May 2014 12:46:34 -0400 (CLT)
Subject: Hello My Good Friend,

Hello My Good Friend,

This is to inform you that the Government's Fund Recovery Agency, Ministry
of Finance Benin Republic has recovered some seized funds from the Banks,
Western Union Office and Courier Services Companies. It has been
discovered and verified that your name and information is among the
beneficiaries who could not conclude their transactions and did not
receive their fund.

I am very sorry for all that have happened in the past time in the cause
of your fund transfer transaction which is now converted to be paid
through International Certified Visa ATM CARD. Please note all is well
arranged and planned that you will have no problem in receiving the funds
of through the ATM VISA CARD network transaction. The visa card will be
sent to you through DHL courier delivery.

Please let me know and have your full names and address which you will
want to use in receiving your funds in form of VISA ATM CARD. Please note
all the arrangement is concluded and visa card is on my desk as for today.

All arrangement is completed that you will receive your fund through
International Certified Visa ATM CARD and fund will be withdraw able from
any ATM MACHINE cash withdrawal point in any part of the World without any
further procedures because of all the delays you have encountered. All the
official charges have be paid by the Benin Republic Government on the
condition that once you receive this ATM CARD and start cashing, you will
refund the Government the fees that they paid.

Please contact me on phone and only on this my email address..
goodlucksmart1@gmail.com so that we know your receiving address to send
the VISA CARD to you asap. The visa card will be attached to you in the
next mail.

I am waiting to hear from you.

Sincerely,
Mr Smart Goodluck
Fund Recovery Agency,
Phone +22968456078



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