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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: "Larry Hunter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrlarryhunterusaembas@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2015 04:57:50 +0200
Subject: VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE

Hello Dear
 
 
My name is Mr. Larry Hunter i work with American Embassy here in Nigeria,
We have been getting reports how Nigerians have been scamming Americans,
Europeans and Asian their hard earn money just because they are trying to
get their contract,lottery, compensation and inherited fund.
 
 
I did not know exactly what was really happening until one Mrs Rita Shirley
came down to Nigeria and visited us in our office, after narrating her
story and how she have spent over $48,000 and nothing was done rather they
keep asking her for more money which made her came down to Nigeria. I was
delegated to follow her to the international Monetary fund(IMF) AND
Ministry of Finance, as am writing to you now she is back in the America
and investing her money because we achieved it within 73hours.
 
 
Am contacting you because i saw your name and information at the
international monetary fund(IMF) and they have been waiting for you to
contact them for them to complete your transfer which they started some
TIME AGO. they said that you have been dealing with the wrong people which has
delayed your transfer. I want to inform you that it did not cost Mrs. Rita
Shirley a cent to get her money transferred to her account, the only money
she spent here was only $130 which is the money she paid to the lawyer to
her help her get the Affidavit of claim that will give the bank authority
to transfer the money directly to her account their in the states.
 
 
I want to help you the way i helped Mrs. Rita but NOTE that am not doing it
as official duty so you can only get to me and let me know if you want my
help or not.
 
 
Your faithfully
Mr. Larry Hunter
Email: mrlarryhunterusaembas@gmail.com

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