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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: "Mrs. Maria Farnandez" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.garrywise2020@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2018 08:13:52 -0000
Subject: Dear Friend

Dear Friend,
 
I am Mr. Frost Gilbert. I am a US
 
citizen, 66 years Old. I reside here in
 
Centreville Virginia U.S.A. My
 
residential address is as follows.14852
 
Rock Landing Court Centreville Virginia
 
 
20121 United States and my email address is (mr.garrywise2020@gmail.com) and my telephone number is +1(202)265-8262 you can call me or send me a  text
 
message and i will respond back to you.I am one of those that fall victims to scammers in Africa two years ago. I have lost over US$100,000.00 for the
past years while in the USA. I was trying to get my payment all to no avail. And they always stopped my funds with one reason or the order. So I decided to
 
travel with my Son to WASHINGTON D.C with all documents, there the (FBI) was amazed and contacted the Nigeria embassy in the USA. After some hours in that
 
office, I was asked by the FBI officer to come back the next week.
 
 
When I did the FBI officer gave me the contact of one Mrs. Maria Farnandez who is a representative of the (FBI) and a member of the compensation award
 
committee, currently in Nigeria. And when I contacted her she explained everything to me. She said whoever is contacting us through emails are fake that I
 
should fly down to Nigeria to see things for myself which I did and she took me to the paying bank for the claim of my
 
compensation payment. This was paid to me successfully. Right now I am the happiest man on earth because I have finally received my compensation funds of US
 
$1,300,000.00. Moreover, Mrs. Maria Farnandez showed me the full Information of those that are yet to receive their compensation funds and this was how came
 
across only your email address and your full name.
 
 
The only Money I paid after I meet with Mrs. Maria Farnandez was just $550.00 (Five Hundred & Fifty Dollars) for the ownership paper works. So I am advising
 
you to contact Mrs. Maria Farnandez through her email address (mrs.lindahill3030@gmail.com) for your own money including the money you lost or you can as
 
well call her on her direct telephone number (+234-8131387018) please take it very serious. Please contact her and send your telephone number and your
 
residential address to her so that she can release your own money to you.
 
Thank you & God bless you.
 
Mr. Garry Wise.
 
14852 Rock Landing Court, Centreville
 
Virginia 20121 United States

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