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

Fraud email example:

From: "URGENT PROPOSAL !!!"<arenaplaza@terra.es>
Reply-To: <forumhall@terra.es>
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:36:13 +0200
Subject: URGENT PROPOSAL !!!

I am a senior staff with a Financial House here in Spain, I on behalf of my colleagues need your
assistancein repatriating the funds left behind by a late customer that died before it is declared
unserviceablewithin thenext 30 days. We decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction .
Every attempt to trace any member of his family has proved unsuccessful and abortive. Actually this
transaction is real and one hundred percent risk free and does not relate to any breach of law.
I will give you more information upon your response to this proposal, to my personal Email address.
Email: forumhall@terra.es.
Best Regards,
Mr. D Pratt

Anti-fraud resources: