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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: "INTERNATIONAL POLICE " (may be fake)
Reply-To: <international.policeauthority@usa.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Apr 2013 21:33:56 +0100
Subject: URGENT REPORT FROM INTERNATIONAL POLICE AUTHORITY UNITED STATES SECTION (INTERPOL)

INTERNATIONAL POLICE AUTHORITY UNITED STATES SECTION  (INTERPOL)
Region No. 2 New York City
P.O. Box 804 Knickerbocker Station
New York City, New York 10002-0804 USA
 
 
We, office of the international police authority (IPA) hereby write to
inform you that we caught a diplomatic lady called Mrs. Vernon Wallace at
(John F Kennedy International Airport) here in New York with a consignment
box filed with United State Dollars.
 
 
Meanwhile, base on our interview to the diplomat she said that the
consignment box belongs to you, that she was sent by SIR EDMUND JAMES  to
deliver the consignment box to your doorstep not knowing that the content
of the box is money. The diplomat also said that her first transit in the
state was at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport Ohio. Now,
the diplomat is under detention in the office of (IPA) security, and we
cannot release her until we carry out our proper investigation on how this
huge amount of money managed to be yours before we will release her with
the box.. So, in this regards you are to reassure and prove to us that the
money you are about to receive is legal by sending us the Award Ownership
Certificate showing that the money is not illegal.
 
 
Note, that the Award Ownership Certificate must to be secured from the
office of the senate president in Nigeria, because that is the only office
that will issue you the original Award Ownership Certificate of this
funds, this is because the fund originated from Nigeria
You are advised to forward immediately the Award Ownership Certificate if
you have it with you, but if you did not have it we will urge you to
contact back the sender of the diplomat to help you secure the Award
Ownership Certificate if at all you do not have it.
 
Below is the contact information of the person that sent the diplomat:
 
Name: SIR EDMUND JAMES
 
Email: edmund.james@consultant.com
 
Furthermore, we are giving you only but 3 working business days to forward
the requested Award Ownership Certificate. Please note that we shall get
back to you after the 3 working business days, that if you didn’t come up
with the certificate we shall confiscate the funds into World Bank account
then charge you for money laundering, but if you forward the Award
Ownership Certificate then we will release diplomat with your consignment
box also gives you every back up on the money.
 
Thanks for your understanding and co-operation
 
 
Yours Truly,
I.P.A REGION NO:2
DCP. DOUGLAS  H. KING (INTERPOL)
CC: SIR EDMUND JAMES
Cc: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI).
CC: CIA
CC: Deputy Commissioner,
U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
David V. Aguilar.
CBP Headquarters 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Room 3.4A Washington, DC 20229

Anti-fraud resources: