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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: "James Smith." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fedexdelivery775@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:31:48 -0700
Subject: GET BACK AND PICK UP YOUR PARCEL FROM US!!

Fedex Courirer Express
7900 Honeygo Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21236,
USA
Tel: 415-691-4969.

Dear Friend,

This is to inform you that there is a parcel containing a Bank draft of $1.500,000 USD in your name. My name is James Smith, Delivery manager FedEx Office in Baltimore. I have been waiting for you since to come down here to pick your Bank Draft but never heard from you. Well, be inform that your parcel has been here for the past one month from a Compensation and Finance House in Nigeria but your address is incorrect and hence we could not reach you to deliver the package so it has remained here in our Baltimore office.

We hereby await your current address.

Now to enable us effect the delivery of your parcel containing the bank draft, you are hereby require to forward your contact information as stated below.

(1) FULL NAME.................
(2) ADDRESS...................
(3) COUNTRY...................
(4) PRIVATE TEL...............

Note also that upon the receipt of your contact information above, we will proceed with the delivery of your parcel to you after the required conditions are met and also you have to send send to us your correct delivery address as the true owner of the package.Contact me at our delivery department immediately with your contact information and I will update you on how soon we will deliver your parcel.

Here is my contact details:

Contact: James Smith
Address: 7900 Honeygo Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21236,
USA
Email: fedexdelivery775@gmail.com
Phone: 415-691-4969

Please note that you have to call me on my phone stated above before or after sending me an email to enable me follow up immediately.

Yours sincerely,
James Smith.

Anti-fraud resources: