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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: "Western Union" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wumt.transferdept@msn.com>
Date: Sun, 3 May 2015 04:28:44 +0100
Subject: Funds for Transfer to You

This is the Western Union Abuja Head Office, Nigeria. We wish to inform you that the sum of $50,000.00 has been deposited in our customer service for immediate transfer to you by an individual who claimed to be an old friend of yours. She is an American Citizen and appeared to be in her mid forties. She had provided us with the sum, Recipient information which includes: Full Name and Address and also your email address during the completion of our Western Union Transfer form.

Due to network error, the transaction was futile that day and we had asked her to return the next day with her National ID Card, International Passport or any legally accepted documents and help her transfer the funds via a Special Transfer Service (STS), as we do not transfer such huge amount on a transaction; but astonishingly did not hear from her again since the 18th of April, 2015.

We would like you to provide us with your Full Name, Sex, and Address for verification of the recipient information that we have been provided with. We might also need your Telephone number for call conversation, (should the need arise), so as to conclude the transfer to you.

Kindly provide these necessary details or call Gloria Ike on +23480121243104 for further enquiries on the funds transfer to you.

Singed,
Gloria Ike
Human Relations Office
Western Union Transfer Department.

Anti-fraud resources: