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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:
 -  This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.  
-  The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
 -  "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
 
-  "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
 
-  This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams. 
 
Fraud email example:
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From: "Mrs. Amor Somda and Son." <rev.chibuezeanderson@gmail.com>Reply-To: mrssomdamor@yahoo.com
 Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 17:40:43 -1200
 Subject: Good Day My Dear Friend,
 
 Good Day My Dear Friend,
 
 Good Day to you and your families. I am Mrs. Amor SOMDA, the wife of
 the deceased former Head of Delegation to the World Bank in West
 Africa. My husband (SOMDA TAMIYU ADAGBA) was the linkman between the
 Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries - OPEC and the
 petroleum sector in a West African country. He also attended OPEC
 meetings constantly in Geneva before his death caused by cardiac
 arrest in our home town.
 
 Through the sale of our allocated oil quota in OPEC he was able to
 make S$15.5million which he deposited with one of the banks in our
 country as a business associate partner fund and not in my name or
 name of anybody. I need your help in claiming this money as i cannot
 claim it directly because he made the deposit as a fund belonging to
 his business associate in order for our country government not to
 raise eyebrow on it since he was a civil servant during that time, and
 the code of conduct bureau forbids him or his wife to acquire such
 amount of money.
 
 It is on this basis that I am contacting you for assistance which I
 know that you are very capable to help me claim the fund, if you will
 be interested all the necessary claim documents that would cover the
 fund into your account shall be procure in your name as a beneficiary
 of the fund and no authorities will question you the origin of the
 fund. I promise you that you shall be entitled to 40% of the total
 funds while the rest will be given to me on arrival in your country
 for the up keeping of my only son and for further investment under
 your care and control there in your country as I can not be able to do
 any investment here in West Africa due to the origin of the said fund.
 
 I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is risk
 free and doesn't have any negative implications. You should not
 entertain any fear at all now or in future as all modalities for the
 smooth and easy transfer of this fund have been finalized. If you can
 conveniently assure me of your ability to keep this business very
 secret and confidential and then promise me that you will not betray
 me when the fund enters into your account in your country then Kindly
 contact me for more details.
 
 Thank you in advance for taking time out of your busy day to read and
 consider my proposal.My message may come to you as a surprise but
 donât worry is for good because it is my honest desire to share the
 transaction relationship with you for which I am contacting you today.
 Get back to me if you are truly interested.
 
 Finally I want you to know that I cannot talk very well being a Stammering.
 
 Best regards,
 Mrs. Amor Somda and Son.
 
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