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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: "Sgt. Mercy W Francis" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sgtmercywfrancis@outlook.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2017 18:14:58 +0530
Subject: Pls Its Urgent!..

Hello Dear
My Name is Sgt. Mercy W Francis; I hope all is well with you? I am a soldier working as a United Nations peace keeping troop in Iraq, on war against terrorism. Am from 275 North Elton Street, Baldwin Park Los Angeles County, 90025 California, United States of America. I have in my possession the sum of US$5.6 millions which I made here in Iraq. I deposited this money with a Red Cross agent because of the law of UN. I want you to stand as my beneficiary to receive the fund and keep it secured in your custody because it is not safe in this war zone. I want you to help me and keep the money protected so that as soon as am through with my mission here in Iraq, I will come over to you for us to meet face to face and know each other. I will give you 50% of the total money for your assistance after you have received the money. Please reply back to me on my private email Id for security purpose: sgtmercywfrancis@outlook.com if you are willing to work with me so that I can send you more i
nformation where the mone

Best Regards;
Sgt. Mercy W Francis

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