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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: Kelly Valentino <georgemichael034506@gmail.com>
Reply-To: jr2706544@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:45:27 +0000
Subject: I need your urgent response

Dear beneficiary,

I am Mr. Michael Wright from the Alert Security and Assets Protection
Company MT.

This urgent email is to inform you about the release and the delivery of
your funds which were diverted here in our company by some corrupt
officials, in order to buy time to enable them to embezzle your money on
their own convenient time.

With much of the low economy caused by the lock down, the United Nations
announced emergency COVID-19 tax relief. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
were also directed to settle all outstanding debts and also release all
pending funds by waiving the huge taxes attached to it but those criminals
decided to divert your money to their designated bank accounts for their
selfish interest.

During the file verification exercise by our lowly clerk, she discovered
that the criminals moved your funds from the United States to Canada, and
then moved it again here in our company. Yesterday, she found out through
the Central computer database that they are about to reroute your money to
a security company in Washington DC where they will be able to maneuver the
strict IMF money laundering regulatory orders. With this, I felt that it is
important for me to alert you on this development to avoid losing your
money to the impostors. They are still using your name and
contract/inheritance identification number as the beneficiary but they have
changed the account co-ordinate and this is the reason why they have been
frustrating you by delaying the delivery/transferring of your fund to you,
in order to buy time pending on when they will transfer your money to their
designated bank accounts.

You need to reply back to me immediately you receive this message so we can
make sure that you must receive your funds before the next 24 hours.

I need your urgent response

Yours faithfully
Michael Wright.

Anti-fraud resources: