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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: "Ms. Amelia Beneson." <ak24233514@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: "Ms. Amelia Beneson." <amelia_benson@terra.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2014 07:18:46 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Thanks for your kindness.


Amelia Benson
Ilot 47A rue de Jubilé
Williamsville
Cote d’ Ivoire.
 
My Greetings,
In order to escape alive
from our country Liberia because of the then prevailing crisis and civil war, my father relocated his
remaining assets outside the country after the destruction of everything we
had.
 
Now weakened by his
tragic death after a long period of sickness, i have stopped going to school
and do not get any assistance because of the political situation and many years
of civil war there.
 
Please i want to confide
on you for my future and hope that you can support and assist me.
 
Before my father’s death,
he told me about the sum of €8,400,000.00 (Eight Million Four Hundred Thousand
Euros) which he deposited in a Security Company here and declared as family valuables
but my wish is to move it out for my security reasons based on his advice just
before he died.
 
Though i will not compel
you to honor this proposal against your will, but i have contacted you now to
help me so that this money can be released and moved out from the Security
Company here to you for investment purposes for our common benefit and my
better future.
 
I am in a desperate
situation and need your urgent assistance and support so that this money can be
moved out from the Security Company here to you as soon as possible.
 
I await your soonest
response.
 Miss Amelia Benson.

Anti-fraud resources: