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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: =?UTF-8?B?Ik1yLiBFZHdhcmQgQ29sbGlucyI=?= <rogerio.pansonato@terra.com.br>
Date:
Subject:

<= div style=3D"font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:black;font-size= :10pt;clear:both;">My Dear,
I am soliciting your assistance to= be my foreign partner for investment in your country, if you can assure me= safety and trust of the funds as it enters your country. I humbling apprec= iate your time to go through this proposal. My name is Mr. Edward Collins f= rom Monrovia, Liberia. I discovered your email through comprehensive web em= ail search on directory so I decided to contact you. I know this might soun= d like scam to you because of the activities going on in the internet today= . But I assure you that this is not a joke and I know you are capable to ha= ndle this project. So I write you this letter in good faith as it pleases y= ou.

My deceased father deposited the sum of Fifty Eight Milli= on Dollars ($58,000.000.00) in a bank for safe keeping. So I need a foreign= trusted person who will help me to invest this funds into any lucrative bu= siness.

Absolutely, I am writing to seek your assistance as a faithf= ul person to stand and accept to receive this funds in your country as my f= oreign partner and my co-beneficiary of this funds. If this request matches= with your inward intention for success and greatness, then you are urged t= o make a quick response indicating your interest and readiness to participa= te and work with me to make this successful.

I am looking forward to= hear from you.
Kind regards,
Mr. Edward Collins
<= /div>

Anti-fraud resources: