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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: "UK Compensation Department" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <louisr_raphael@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 21:08:52 -0700
Subject: RE: CALL +447024033930 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Attention:
 
 
This is to bring to your notice that we are delegated from the UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL FRAUD MONITORING UNIT, I wish to notify you that the United Kingdom (UK) has been authorized to pay out 50 innocent victims of the widely know internet scam called Advanced Fee Fraud aka (419) the sum of US$650,000.00 GBP (sixty Hundred and Fifty Thousand Grate British Pounds Only each).You have been listed and approved for this payment as one of the scammed victims.
 
 
On these faithful recommendations, we want you to know that during the last U.N. meeting held at London, UK, as it has come to an alarming proportion based on reports from different victims, some of these victims have almost lost their lives, families, properties, and friends. The most alarming aspect of the issue was on the amount money lost by these various innocent individuals to scams artists operating in syndicates all over the world today, and in other to compensate victims, The UNITED NATIONS Body in conjunction with the newly elected government in United Kingdom has agreed to pay 99 victims $650,000.00 GBP each. Fill the information below so we can process your payment immediately.
 
                                             
1) Your full name and residential address
2) Your direct phone number
3) Your Age and Occupation
4) Marital status and Sex
 
 
 
Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Louis Raphael

Anti-fraud resources: