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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: Wale Kennedy <walekenn@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: walekennedy11@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2015 22:27:14 +0100
Subject: [spam] Dear Trusted Friend



--
Dear Fund Trustee,

My Name's Mr. Wale A. Kennedy. 61 years old, I was diagnosed for cancer
about 2 years ago, immediately after the death of my Wife, Who had
worked with me tirelessly until we were driven out of Sierra Leone and
our farms seized. I will be going in for an operation next weekend. I
decided to WILL/donate the sum of $112,000,000 to you for the good work
and expect you will help support the less privilege. At the moment I
cannot take any telephone calls due to my deteriorating health
condition. I have adjusted my WILL and my Executor is aware I have
changed my will; you and him will arrange for the change of ownership of
the funds and transfer of funds to you. The funds deposited with a
finance outfit and the name is withheld basically for security and
confidential purposes and would only be released to you.

Contact my Executor:
John Evans Esq.
Principal Partner J.E & Associates
Email: barr_johnevansesq@hotmail.com

You are to contact him with your full names contact telephone and
address and tell him that I have WILLED ($112,000,000.00) to you that I
have known you for some years before now as I rightly introduced you to
him, and I have also notified him that I am WILLING that amount to you
as my friend for charity. Thanks and God bless. I will appreciate your
utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as
I don't anything that will jeopardize my last wish.

Thanks,
Wale A. Kennedy

Anti-fraud resources: