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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: "Regards Ed Alfred" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <edalfred201@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 03:50:04 -0400
Subject: PROPOSAL

Dear Friend,

My Name is Ed Alfred and i have a serious business proposal that can change our lives for the better if
you can be bold enough to see it through with me. I am a banker and I can not reveal much about me
until I am sure you are willing to work with me. Currently, states, federal agencies and other organizations
collectively hold more than $58 billion in unclaimed cash and benefits. That's roughly $186 for every U.S.
resident. The unclaimed property comes from a variety of sources, including abandoned bank accounts
and stock holdings, unclaimed life insurance payouts and forgotten pension benefits. I have with me an
abandoned account that has no Next of Kin and the total sum in the account is $33 Million and I am
writing you based on the fact that I want you to act as the next of Kin to the said account. I contacted
you based on the instruction we received from the National Association of Unclaimed Property
Administrators. Under varying state laws, financial institutions and other companies are required
to turn over any funds considered "abandoned," including uncashed paychecks, forgotten bank
account balances, unclaimed refunds, insurance payouts and contents of safe deposit boxes.

Property is usually considered abandoned after the holder of the account or property has had no activity
or contact with the owner for several years. Please get back with me if you are interested, I can give you
access to the funds to clear your doubt and also to prove there is money with the bank as I have claimed.
I am a citizen of the united state and doing this does not make us criminals because if we don't take
advantage of this opportunity the money would be taken by the government.

Regards Ed Alfred


Anti-fraud resources: