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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: " Steven T. Mnuchin" <sales@powertechslg.com.br>
Reply-To: <Richardsantiago@contractor.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2017 03.57.40 +0200
Subject: Dear Beneficiary

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 $250,000.00 USD(Two Hundred and Fifty
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 Richard Santiago  directly by replying to this
email for the release of your $250,000.00 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:
 
1)Full Names.
2)Home Address.
3)Nationality:
4)Age.
5)Sex.
6)Occupation.
7)Phone Number.
8)Identity Card.
9)Choose ONE Preferable Payment Method (Visa ATM Card OR Cashier
Check)
 
Best Regards,
Steven T. Mnuchin
 
Secretary of the Treasury.
Thank You

Anti-fraud resources: