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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: "Banks Douglas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <alihaid@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2015 15:07:03 -0600
Subject: Dept/Payment reconciliation committee

Attn,
Dept/Payment reconciliation committee

This body of the United Nations in collaboration with World Bank
monitors contract payments and inheritance funds and has been mandated
with a legal authority to grant an immediate release of your funds into
your designated bank account without further delay.

With our investigations and reports gathered, we discovered that you
have made series of payments to fulfill all financial obligations which
ought to have facilitated the release of your funds but to no avail.
Based on this incompetency and lack of integrity by the officials who so
ever be your local representative, we have taken it as a mandate to
effect your payment unconditionally and irrevocable if only, you stop
further communication with anybody or office what so ever, to avoid
contradictions
and to enable us use our good office to redeem you from every
embarrassment.

Finally, be advised to reconfirm to us urgently the following
requirements below.

(1) Your full names and physical mailing address
(2) Bank account details
(3) Your direct telephone numbers

Be rest assured that upon your compliance with our guidelines and
instructions, your account will be credited accordingly within 48 hours
on receipt of our requested information.

We await your prompt response.
Yours faithfully,

Banks Douglas

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