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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: "Ambrose Annas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ambrusannas@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2016 13:20:08 -0700
Subject: Invitation Letter 04 -- 11 -- 2016


Dear Friend, I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise as we never met before. It is my urgent need for a partner that made me contact you. I apologized if you find this offensive, but this is an opportunity to make good clean money. My name is Mr. Ambrose Annas, i am a retired banker. I worked with an Investment Bank for many years before i retired and currently hospitalized on sick bed. I am writing to solicit your assistance in the transfer of Eight Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollars Only (USD 8,520.000.00).

This fund is the excess of what my region in which I am the manager made as profit during my time as the regional manager. I have already submitted an approved report to my Head Office which was approved and they never know of this Excess. I placed this amount in a ghost suspense account. As a retired manager of the bank, I cannot claim this money or be directly connected to it that is why i needed an outsider because i cannot present anyone connected to me thus I
am compelled to request for your assistance to receive this money into your bank account of choice.

I intend to give 30% of this fund to you while 70% shall be for me. I do need to stress that there are practically no risk involved in this. It is going to be a bank-to-bank transaction. I need you to stand as the beneficiary of this fund for the immediate transfer of the fund.

NOTE: I WILL REVEAL MORE DETAILS TO YOU UPON YOUR POSITIVE REPLY.

I will appreciate your timely response so that we can proceed with the transfer process immediately as there is No Risk involved.

Kind Regards,
Mr. Ambrose Annas

Anti-fraud resources: