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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: "Alex Smith" <asalex2003@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mralex_smith@portugalmail.pt
Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2005 08:58:05 -0900
Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP.

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Alex Smith a personal accountant to one Dr. Jonathan Mann, who died
with his family in Swissair accident in 1998. The webpage below will tells
you more about my client:

http://www.cnn.com/health/9809/03/dr.mann.profile

My purpose of contacting you is to ask for your aid in partnership to
repatriate the sum of us$30 million that belongs to my client in a
domiciliary bank account here in United Kingdom.

As soon as i heard from you, i will give you the details/ operational method
on how to repatriate the said THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS into your
bank account for our mutual benefit. While replying, include your phone
number and fax for voice communications.

I realy need this money for my wife kidney transplanting operation which
involve huge amount of money.Please help me to get the money out from
barclays bank.

Reply back through this email address mralex_smith@portugalmail.pt

Truly yours,

Alex Smith


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