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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: Barrister Kuty Ray <kutyray@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: kutyrey@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2012 01:09:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: I SENT YOU MONEY


I SENT YOU MONEY

This morning western union outlet where I deposited your money called me asking why you have not send the $75 to enable you pick up your first payment of $2000. They said that they wire $2000 to you but the head office will not allow the transfer to go through because you have not send the $75. Track this information online now and see that $2000 was sent to you and is still available to pick up by you as the receiver but western union will not give you the $2000 unless you pay the $75. 
Don’t expose this MTCN numbers to anybody else. If you need to check the transferonline to see that the money is posted online for you, copy and paste this link and fill in the MTCN, sender first name, sender last name and you will see that the money is available for your pick up:
https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=BJ
Note that the money detail given to you does not bear your name as the receiver yet. As soon as we receive the fee from you, we will immediately activate your MTCN and put your name as the receiver. Please take note; you need to go along with your passport ID or Drivers license when you need to pick up the transfer okay. MTCN: 3090365458Sender’s First Name: AugustineSender’s Last Name: EmekaTest Question: ColorAnswer: BlueAmount: $2000.00 After you have track this information and see that your money is available for your pick up, contact me and ask me how and where you will send the $75 so I will release your first $2000 to you immediately without any delay as soon as you send the $75, okay.
Remember that your total fund is $750,000.00 and you will be receiving it in $2000 ten times a day which will be $20,000 daily untill you receive all your money from western union. Make sure that you contact me immediately as I instruct you and I will release your first $2000.00 to you, okay.
God Bless you,Barrister Kuty Ray.

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