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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: "Francisca Mendoza" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <franciscamendoza960@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2018 09:55:24 -0400
Subject: Letting you Know!

Hello Dearest One,

I am Miss. Francisca S. Mendoza the Administrative manager at a vault of financial & security Institute in Madrid, I am contacting you as regards to an abandoned sum of $36.7 Million Us dollars (Thirty Six million seven hundred thousand United State dollars) in our safe deposit vault, that belongs to one of our foreign customers that share the same surname with you, who died on the 11th march 2011 in a ghastly Train accident in Santiago de Compostela

The banking policy can only allow the release of such funds to a benefactor through an application as next of kin to the deceased. After his death, the bank has been expecting a possible beneficiary, but nobody came for the claim, this institute has exploited all its ethical possibilities in other to contact possible relation or inheritor, but no success, I have made my own research with the help of a private investigator, it is my knowledge that this man has been living in Barcelona for the past 19 years and has never returned back home. I also leant that his wife and 7 year old daughter died with him during this accident, however because of the international financial crises, a lot of reform has been made within the Spanish financial system; this includes the new law on succession/claims which indicates a duration in which such inheritance could be tolerated.

I want you to know that I am a senior member of this office. As an insider, I am equipped with all classified secret information regarding the release of these funds. I would dedicate to make sure that I feed you with all possible documentation and information required for the approval and release of these funds.

Upon your acceptance to cooperate, I agree that 50% of this money will be for you, while 50% for me as the principal. For time difference and confidential reasons, I strongly advice that you should get back to me via my private email address: (franciscamendoza960@gmail.com) with your contact details immediately you acknowledge the receipt of this mail, so that I would be able to give you a call to inform you on how this could be concluded.

Thanks as I wait to hear from you as soon as you receive this proposal e-letter to enable me give you a call.

Best Regards,
Miss. Francisca S. Mendoza

Anti-fraud resources: