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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. John Kerry" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <infomof@she.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2014 07:52:31 +0700
Subject: From Secretary Mr. John Kerry

Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20220
General Information: +1(971)200-1759
Good Day
I'm directed to contact you by the (WORLD BANK AND INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND )to urgently confirm from you if actually you know one Mrs Shealy Gligor and COLLEAGUES who claim to be your business associate/ partner in your country.
Mrs Shealy Gligor is claiming to us that you are dead and she will like to change all the Information that you gave to us as our bonafide beneficiary. Below is the new banking information were she wish to have this funds transferred to:-
 
Bank of America
4000 Garth Road Baytown TX 77521
ABA: 026009500 (International)
ACCT. #:003042656666
ACCT: Name: NEO Investments Inc.
Signatory: Shealy Gligor
This development is coming up now that the Ministry want to offset all your outstanding payments to all our legal foreign beneficiaries around the world in which your payment file was also approved for release. As you may know, the total amount in your favor is a total sum of $1.8 Million U.S Dollars. We need to confirm from you if it's really true that you are dead and If we did not hear from you it automatically means that you are actually dead and the information passed to us by Mrs Joy Williams and is correct.
You are to contact me  as soon as you receive this message so as to know the true position of things with you so that we would not make any mistake in remitting your out-standing payment to a wrong person/account.
 
Your urgent response will help our management a lot. Do email me with your Full names and Direct Cell Number for an easy communication, your age and occupation to this effect.
Regards
Mr. John Kerry
Secretary Department Of The Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington,
D.C. 20220.
 

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