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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: "Mr. John Matthew" <jmatthew@gtb.org>
Reply-To: john_matthew64@yahoo.co.nz
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 19:15:27 +0800
Subject: Attention; The Fund Beneficiary.

Dear Fund Beneficiary,

I am Mr. John Matthew, ATM Head of Operation Department Guaranty Trust Bank
Nigeria PLC, I resumed to this office on the 5th of last Month and during my
official research last week I discovered an abandoned ATM Master card valued
sum of $10.5Million with card number 5321452123409380 belonging to you as the
rightfully intimate beneficiary.

I tried to know why this card have not been released to you but I was told
that the formal ATM head of operation who left this office two months ago
withhold your card for his own personal use without knowing that I will not
approve or support him to take your card.

Now that your ATM Master card is still available for you to pick it up here in
our bank. I want to know how you wish to receive your ATM card along with your
four digits pin code number.

You can come down here in our bank to pick up your card direct from my office
or alternatively it can be send to your address through any registered
reliable courier service company that you will take care of the courier
charge, I don’t know the cost of shipping the card to you but if you permit me
I can make an inquiry from the courier shipment company to find out the cost,
but in that case you will be required to forward to me your shipping address
to enable me find out the shipment cost to your location.

Your direct telephone number and address will be needed and more details of
your ATM card payment will be made known to you as soon as I receive your
swift positive response, to enable you know the amount programmed for your ATM
daily withdrawal.

Do not hesitate to call me on +234-1-4548293 as soon as you read this mail.

Thanks for your co-operation.

Yours Faithfully,

Mr. John Matthew,
GTBank Management
Office Tel: +234-1-4548293

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