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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Eric Martins" <martinsrc@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: martins_eric20@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:38:05 +0400
Subject: VERRY URGENT

Dear Friend
Best compliments of the day. I Need your help I have a sum of $10.5M
(USD)dollar I want to invest It here in Dubai but I don't know anybody
here to assist me. I am Mr. Eric Martins the son of Mbeki Martins retired General
in the south Africa army and I need protection so if you can
handle such a huge sum of investment please get back to me and again if
you are really want to assist me please I have to tell you this we
need to meet and discuses how to bring this money to Dubai and I am afraid I never discuss this matter with anybody because this
is my first time to come to this country and when I come here I saw too
much black peoples here I hope that I am not going to have any problem
if I am doing this with you I have to put all my trust on you please
contact me through my private email,
here now and I don't know any where here and I don’t have any number now
to reach me so contact me with my private email .
And I hope you will write me back with all your contact so that we can see and discuses
better.

Regards,
Mr. Eric Martins


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