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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: Charles Sprague <charlesspragueusa@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2015 01:39:10 -0700
Subject: Attention: Honorable Beneficiary,

Attention: Honorable Beneficiary,

The International Monetary Funds, IMF has authorized my Office to
settle all the Foreign Debts owed by the Benin Republic Government.The
IMF Foreign Policy and Currency Regulation offered loan of $23 billion
to Benin Republic Government based on the Agreement $2 billion was
mapped out for the Foreign Debts and your name was among those
Beneficiaries to be paid through my Office.

Based on these all the money you have had spent in the course of
getting this money in the past must be included as no money will be
lost. Therefore, you are directed to state categorically the total
amount you had spent before and forward it to my Office now before the
total payment will be made on your behalf.

Your payment this time will be taken place immediately and under 72
Hours the payment of $15m was approved on your behalf and will be
transferred to you immediately. You are requested to reply with your
full information such as:

Your Names
Your Address
Your Phone
Your personal

Contact
Chinelo Adams,Phone;+2348022352997 and email chineloadams44@gmail.com
Kindly reply now.

Yours,
Charles Sprague
IMF COORDINATOR AFRICA
COTONOU
BENIN REPUBLIC

Anti-fraud resources: