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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: "Office Of Financial Research (OFR)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <clintonmarks5@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2004 02:32:09 +0300
Subject: UPDATE REGARDING YOUR FUND!!!

U.S. Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue,NW
Washington,DC 20220
 
This is to bring to your notice that the US Department of the Treasury
in affiliation with the Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") has
been authorized in their Sanction Programs to compensate 1,000 scam
victims who has being a victim of internet scam.The US Department of
the Treasury has decided to pay you $2.500,000.00 USD(TWO MILLION FIVE
 
HUNDRED THOUSAND. United States Dollars) each in order to restore the
global economy to the enviable standard of respectability.
 
Your particulars was mentioned by one of the syndicates who was
arrested as one of the victims of their operations.You are hereby
warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to him or her for
any reason whatsoever as the US SECRET SERVICE is already on trace of
the other criminals,these information should remain confidential till
they are all apprehended,other victims who have not been contacted can
submit their application as well for scrutiny and possible
consideration.
 
You will be contacting Clinton Marks directly by replying to this
email for the release of your $2.500,000.00 USD compensation fund,he's
the director of the Office of Financial Research (OFR).You are also
advised to provide him with the under listed Assignment information
for verification:
 
Office Of Financial Research (OFR)
Email: clintonmarks5@gmail.com
 
1) Full Names
2) Home Address
3) Nationality:
4) Age
5) Sex
6) Occupation
7) Phone Number.
8) Preferred Payment Method (ATM / online banking Transfer......
 
Best Regards,
Jacob J. Lew
 
 

Anti-fraud resources: