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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: grace elham <grace_elham@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: graceelham@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2011 23:39:30 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: How are you doing today?




Hi,
How are you doing today?
My regards to you and your family, I feel like communicating with you my name is Miss Grace, single and never married, It’s my pleasure with due respect to cultivate a healthy friendship with you. I found your e-mail address on internet then I took the opportunity to email you as I will really want us to be good friends because I need you as my friend interms of business and advice, and I will so much appreciate it if we can click together as one great friends. I will send you my photo at least for you to see who is writing to you. I will like you to feel free to write me back, So that I will give you full explanation about myself, and the reasons and purpose why I am contacting  you.Hope to read back from you soonest.

Yours Sincerely,
Grace

Anti-fraud resources: