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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Mark Edward" <MrMarkEdM@netscape.net> (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 08:03:04 +0000
Subject:

MR.MARK EDWARD (JP)
CHAIRMAN,ECOWAS CONTRACTOR'S
DEBT RECONCILIATION/APPRAISAL BOARD
ACCRA - GHANA
GOOD DAY,
ACCOUNT PROVISION FOR $22 MILLION USD
MY NAME IS MR.MARK EDWARD,CHAIRMAN ECOWAS CONTRACTOR'S DEBT RECONCILIATION/APPRAISAL BOARDS I AM CONTACTING YOU TO INQUIRE FROM YOU IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME SAFEGUARD FUNDS AMOUNTING TO $USD 22 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS LEFT BY OUR LATE FOREIGN CONTRACTOR WHO UNFORTUNATELY LOST HIS LIFE IN THE PLANE CRASH OF ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT 261 WHICH CRASHED ON FEBRUARY 4, 2000,INCLUDING HIS FAMILY LEAVING NOBODY TO CLAIM THE MONEY.YOU CAN READ MORE NEWS ABOUT THE CRASH ON VISITING THIS WEB SITE.
(http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list)
WHOSE PROVIDED ADDRESS COULD NOT BE TRACED SINCE HE DIED ALONG WITH HIS FAMILY MEMBERS.YOU WILL BE PRESENTED AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED TO ENABLE OUR ORGANISATION TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOU. AT THE END OF THE TRANSACTION,YOU WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH 30% OF THE TOTAL MONEY.THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE BUT SHOULD BE KEPT SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL DUE TO MY POSITION IN ECOWAS I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE TRANSACTION WHEN I RECIEVE YOUR AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE.I CAN BE REACHED ON MY SECURED E MAIL :markedward_jp@latinmail.com
NOTE:DUE TO MY POSITION NOW,I HAVE THE DECEASED CONTRACT FILE WITH ME INCASE OF ANY QUESTION FROM OUR ORGANISATION WHEN THE DEAL STARTED AND ALSO THE PROCESS TO PUT CLAIM ON THE FUNDS AS THE NEXT OF KIN WILL BE LEGALLY PROCESSED TO AVOID ANY BREACH OF LAW OF OUR COUNTRIES
THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING,
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SOONEST.
YOURS FAITHFULLY.
MR.MARK EDWARD (JP)



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