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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: esther edward <misslunaseba2010@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: esther edward <estheredward85@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 09:32:30 +0900 (JST)
Subject: From Miss. Esther Edward


>From Miss. Esther Edward              
   
 
Abidjan , Ivory Coast ,
 
 Good day my dear,
 
 In confidence, I have to introduce myself for i am Miss. Esther Edward, 21 years old; I am the only child of late Mr & Mrs. Edward Emmanuel. I prayed before contacting you,please for God sake does not see my mail as embarrassment as we do not know each other.
 
 I wish to request for your assistance in my efforts to procure the transfer of my inherited money for
 investment ventures under your care and directive, while i continue my education of there in your country. I inherited Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000.00)
 here in my name with one of the prime bank in my country and I will require your assistance in receiving the
 transfer of my inherited money in your local account for investment purposes, as it is my wish to come over to
 your country to further my education while y ou take care of the investment of the money.
 
  Please i am an orphan and i need your assistance to transfer my inherited money to your country and also your
 assistance to secure a nice school for me in your country where I will continue my education,
 
  Please I am waiting to hear from you soonest
 
  Yours sincerely,
 
  Miss. Esther Edward

Anti-fraud resources: