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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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Fraud email example:

From: "WALTER FOOTMAN" <walter_footman1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: walter_footman@sify.com
Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2005 18:28:38 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY

MY DEAR,
I WISH TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A BUSINESS DEAL WHICH WOULD BE BENEFIT BOTH OF US
AND WHICH HAS TO KEPT CONFIDENCIAL FOR THE PURPOSE THEREOF .

I AM BARRISTER WALTER FOOTMAN A LAWYER BASED IN ENGLAND .I WISH TO SEEK YOUR
CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO MY LATE CLIENT [MRS ANNE
CELINE] WHO DIED SOME YEARS AGO YEAR LEAVING BEHIND THE SUM OF TEN MILLION
TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND BRITISHPOUNDS[10.200.000.00] AND NO NEXT OF KIN TO
INHERIT THE MONEY. WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH LIBERTY SECURITY FINANCE . THEY
HAVE ISSUED ME A NOTICE TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF KIN OF LATE [MRS ANNE CELINE]
WITHIN TEN WORKING DAYS FOR THE FACT THAT I HAVE UNSUCCESSFULL IN LOCATING
ANY OF HER RELATIVES FOR OVER 8 MONTHS .WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE AND MY
PROFESSIONAL ADVISE WE CAN GET ACCESS TO THE MONEY .I WOULD LIKE TO INVEST
MY SHARE OF THE MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR POSITTIVE RESPONSE AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVINIENCE AND
IF POSSIBLE SEND ALONG YOUR TELPHONE NUMBER ,YOUR CORRECT ADDRESS AND NAME
SO I CAN CALL TO GIVE YOU FURTHER INFORMATION.
[REPLY TO THIS EMAIL:walter_footman@sify.com ]
REGARDS
BARRISTER WALTER FOOTMAN


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