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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. MARY KOWALSKI" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <offer1@secretarias.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:40:50 -0700
Subject: ®

Attention Regular User of the Internet
 
How are you doing today? This is an official notification to inform you of your funds from a total cash prize of US$ 50.0m, given to the first fifty (50) people who will be compensated in this cash grant world internet programs this year 2010.
 
All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site Through computer draw system and extracted from over 700,000 companies I am using this opportunity to thank you for using the internet daily.
 
Due to your effort, using internet programs indoor and in your office, we want to compensate you and show our gratitude to you with the sum of US$1.0m. We have authorized Mr. Harry Gibson to assist you in getting your compensation bank draft across to you.
 
Please call +234-8033-506992 or email Harry Gibson at offer1@secretarias.com for further proceedings of you claims.
 
Finally remember that instruction have been forwarded to Mr. Harry Gibson on your behalf to process the proof of ownership certificate and ask for your transfer details as soon as you send the following information to him.
 
Full Name [ ]
Contact Address [ ] (home or office)
Cell Number [ ]
 
Thanks and God bless you and your family.
 
Hope to hear from you soon.
 
MRS. MARY KOWALSKI
Affiliate, UN cash grant.
International Online Lottery Co-coordinator.
© 2010 WORLD INTERNET PROGRAMS®
 

Anti-fraud resources: