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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: FUNDS TRANSFER <dridrisabubakar06@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2021 12:38:29 +0100
Subject: A Beneficial Proposal to both of us

--
Greetings,

I have a proposal for you. I want to put you forward as a beneficiary to
receive and share with me an abandoned fund ($21,537,436.80 ) that was
deposited in our bank by a customer who is now deceased. He died of
complications from the corona virus last October and all efforts to reach
any of his families or relatives has proved abortive. I went on the
internet and I found your email address. My name is Thomas Fahey.

I want to utilize this window of opportunity to divert this dormant funds
and hitherto will present your name to the bank to stand as his trustee or
next of kin for the funds to be released to you via Visa card for easy
withdrawals in any VISA enabled ATM machine anywhere in the World.

The bank could also give you international online transfer options upon
your request, this way you can transfer the funds without any risk. Should
you be interested in working with me on this project? Please reply back and
let's benefit from this golden opportunity. You are my first contact.

I shall wait a few days and if I do not hear from you, I shall have to seek
someone else.

Thanks and have a nice day,

Thomas Fahey.
+1 518 504 8744

Anti-fraud resources: