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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: "Mr. Thomas Sann" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tsann0843@foxmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2015 08:16:29 +0700
Subject: [SPAM-pyramis] RE: FROM MR. SANN, GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY

I am Mr. Thomas Sann, a personal Accountant with Foreign Trade Bank Cambodia Pls. It is with good spirit of heart I opened up this great opportunity to you. A deceased client of mine that shares almost the same name as yours died as a result of heart-related condition on 14 of November 2011. His heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the fukushima earthquake and tsunami disaster on the March 11, 2011 in northeastern Japan where they all lost their lives. More info http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110311-tsunami-earthquake-japan-hawaii-science-world-waves/ There is a draft account he opened in my bank in 2004. He was an Engineer/business man here in Cambodia before his unfortunate death, leaving nobody as the next of kin of his account.
The amount in this account is currently (Twenty Eight Million Five Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand Two Hundred United states Dollars Only). I want to present you as the beneficiary of the deceased. I will use my position and influence in our bank to make sure they release this money to you for us to share. If I wait for days and did not hear from you, I shall look for another person.
Kindly get back to me for more details.
Mr. THomas

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