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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: "Mrs Grace Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jamesbrownn.imf@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2016 04:01:37 -0000
Subject: Contact Mr James Brown For Your Funds!!!

Hello Friend,
 
Good day to you, and the rest of your family, i hope my email meets you in
 
good state. My Name is Judy MacArthur from Dallas, Texas, I work as a
 
missionary at Faith Baptist Church. I came across an email from the IMF
 
about me winning some amount of money earlier this year. I went ahead and
 
follow all procedures about me getting my money, all effort i made to get my
 
money was in vain cause i never knew i was dealing with some fake IMF Agent
 
i lost some amount of money but i still kept my hopes high cause i knew i
 
had a winning funds. On a fateful morning  i opened up my mailbox as usual
 
and i got an email from Mr James Brown an IMF agent and he told me he has
 
seen all wrong transactions i made, he told me i should be rest assured that
 
all my winnings and compensated funds will be reinstated and sent to me, i
 
believed in him and today i can tell you that i received an amount of $1.5m
 
from the IMF signed, sealed and transferred to me, they even had to call my
 
bank to confirm the money was coming from them, everything was done swift
 
and to my utmost surprise i am finally living my dream, everything i have
 
ever wanted i now have. I met Mr Brown before he traveled to Greece along 
 
with Ms Christine Lagarde (IMF Chief) and i was so happy and cheerful my
 
dreams came through. They showed me some Confidential file, Mainly Emails of
 
people who have not yet received their funds, i came across your email, and
 
i felt a spirit told me i had to contact you, i pleaded with Mr Brown and
 
Mrs Lagarde to give me your email so i could contact you and tell you about
 
your funds. Do not respond to agents claiming that they have your funds,
 
they are liars i was a victim of their evil agenda but i thank God i am
 
vindicated and happy.
 
I will personally advise you to contact Attorney James Brown ,he
will assist you in every way he can cause he won't stop till he reach his
goal which is helping victims i am a witness of that
 
You have to contact him directly on this information below:
Contact Person: Mr James Brown
 
Email: jamesbrownn.imf@gmail.com
Number:(469) 608-0561
 
Contact him now and send him(1) Your full names, (2) Your contact Address,
(3) Your mobile phone numbers, you really have to stop dealing with those
 
people that are contacting you and telling you that your fund is with them
 
because it is not in any way with them, they are only taking advantage of
 
you and they will dry you up until you have nothing left with you.
 
 
Thank You and God Bless.
Mrs. Judy MacArthur
7030 Westside Dr Highland, Irving, Dallas county. Texas
sg/

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