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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: "richard taylor" <richardtaylor4@msn.com>
Reply-To: richard-taylor@computermail.net
Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 00:03:03 +0000
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF RICHARD TAYLOR

Dear sir/Madam
I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE
YOU DO NOT KNOW ME I AM RICHARD TAYLOR, THE SON OF THE
FORMER LIBERIA PRESIDENT MR. CHARLSE TAYLOR. I AND
MY FAMILY IS ON EXILE .

I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR AN HONEST PERSON
WHOM I CAN CONFIDE IN.I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR
THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY IN AMERICA WHICH I SHIPPED
THROUGH DIPLOMATIC MEANS WITH THE HELP OF A DIPLOMAT BUT
THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS $3,000,000.00ALL IN $100.00 BILLS,
BUT THE DIPLOMAT DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS MONEY THAT
I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE.


ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS,GIVE ME YOUR
MAILING ADDRESS,YOUR PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX

I WILL GIVE YOU THE CONTACT OF THE DIPLOMAT AND I
HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL HAVE 30%
AND 70% WILL BE FOR ME.MY IDENTITY MUST NOT BE REVEALED TO ANYBODY.
IF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY,

OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU
GET BACK TO ME INCLUDING SENDING OF THE KEYS TO THE
BOXES TO YOU .
AS SOON YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
RICHARD TAYLOR



Anti-fraud resources: