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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: "Mr. Abdulhamit Bihter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <abdb386@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2017 17:58:49 -0500
Subject: GOOD DAY

From the desk of
Foreign operations dept,
FinansBank Of Turkey.
   
Attention:
   
                  Your funds of $12.5m
   
This is to notify you that your over due payment funds has been gazetted
To be released, via key telex transfer (ktt )-direct wire transfer to you
By the senate committee for foreign over due fund transfer.
   
Meanwhile, a woman came to my office few days ago with a letter, claiming
To be your true representative.
   
Here are her information:
Name: Ms. Brenda Catherine
Bank Name: TD Bank.
Bank Address: 600 Passaic Ave West Caldwell USA
Account Number: 3101185209.
   
Please, do reconfirm to this office ,as a matter of urgency if this woman
Is from you so that the Finans Bank will not be held responsible
For paying into the wrong account name.
   
The reserve bank governor, executive, board of directors and the senate
Committee for foreign over due inheritance fund have approved and
Accredited this reputable bank with the office of the director,
International remittance / foreign operations,to handle and transfer all
Foreign payment funds this second quarter payment of the year.However,we
Shall proceed to issue all payments details to the said Ms Brenda Catherine,
If we do not hear from you within the next seven working days from today.
   
Congratulations in advance.
   
Best regards,
Mr. Abdulhamit Bihter

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