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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "FROM THE U.S AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA" <cappie@ndagadi.agric.za>
Reply-To: <desk.top3@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2015 16:25:39 -0600
Subject: HELLO

 
 
 
DEAR BENEFICIARY
 
                      
    FROM THE U.S AMBASSADOR TO BENIN
 
BE INFORMED THAT I HAVE RESOLVED WITH THE NIGERIA PRESIDENCY TO
DELIVER THE SUM OF US$10.5M BEING THE INTEREST FUND ACCRUED FROM YOUR
CONTRACT/INHERITANCE AND COMPENSATION FUND.
 
I SHALL BE COMING OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR AN OFFICIAL MEETING BY NEXT
WEEK AND I WILL BE BRINGING YOUR CONSIGNMENT CONTAINING THE FUND WHICH
HAS BEEN PACKAGED AND SEALED IN YOUR FAVOR BUT THIS TIME I WILL NOT GO
THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE AS A U.S AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA,
GOVERNMENT AGENT AND I HAVE THE VOTER POWER TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS.I AM
SCHEDULED TO HAVE A MEETING  WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATES BY NEXT
WEEK.
 
YOU ARE ADVICE TO SEND YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS WHERE
YOU WANT YOUR CONSIGNMENT/PACKAGE TO BE DELIVERED TO. I ALSO
UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH WITHOUT GETTING ANYTHING
IN RETURN AS I WAS MADE TO UNDERSTAND AND THAT IS WHY I HAVE
PERSONALLY INTERVENED AND I MUST SAY THAT YOU ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON
BECAUSE I SHALL BE BRINGING YOUR PACKAGE BY MYSELF AND THERE IS
NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
 
YOUR PACKAGE(US$10.5M} MUST BE REGISTERED AS AN AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE
FOR ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS AND THE COST OF REGISTERING IT IS $350.00.
 
THE FEE MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 50 HOURS VIA WESTERN UNION SO THAT
ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE TIME WILL BE AGAINST US.
 
YOU SHOULD SEND THE FEE DIRECTLY TO THE CARGO REGISTRATION OFFICER
WITH THE INFO BELOW-
 
NAME -------------
ADDRESS -------- COTONOU BENIN
TEXT QUESTION ----- TO WHO
TEXT ANSWER ------- ME
AMOUNT-------------US$350
 
MY TRIP WILL BE BY MID WEEK AND I EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY BEFORE THEN SO
THAT THE DELIVERY CAN BE COMPLETED. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY, THEN IT WILL
NOT BE MY FAULT IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR CONSIGNMENT PACKAGE.
 
VIEW MY IDENTITY AND GET BACK TO ME WITH THE PAYMENT INFORMATION.
 
TREAT AS URGENT,
MR.JAMES F.ENTWISTLE

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