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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.Mohammad Ghanam" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mohammad.ghanam@o2.pl>
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2014 18.20.54 +0100
Subject: Greetings Mr. Ghanam

Greetings.
 
As you read this, don't feel sorry for me, because it is the destiny of every man to die someday.
I am Mr.Mohammad Ghanam, former chairman of the legal research unit in the Egyptian Interior
Ministry during the Era of Ex-President Gene. Hosni Mubarak. I have been diagnosed with
O esophageal Cancer for the past years now.
 
It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live,
according to medical experts. Death is eminent; I have willed and given most of my belonging to
immediate and extended family members, as well as a few close friends.
 
I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul. Hence I have decided to support charity work;
this is what i want to be remembered for. So far, Now that my health has deteriorated so badly,
I cannot do this myself anymore. i once asked members of my family to aid me in giving of alms to
those organizations catering for the less privileged in Europe, Asia, Africa and other party of the world
they refused and kept the resources to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem
not to be contempt with what I have left for them.
 
The last of my belonging which no one knows of, is the huge deposit of Eight Million United States
dollars that I have in a safe keeping, which I will want you to secure and bestow to charity organizations.
 
Please endeavor to reply me by this email. mohammad.ghanam@o2.pl
For your time and devotion, I have set aside a 30% of this for you.
God be with you.
Mr. Mohammad Ghanam,

Anti-fraud resources: