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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: Bob JamesTimothy <bw_timothy@blumail.org>
Reply-To: benjamintimothy889@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2012 03:43:00 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Read carefully & Reply











Read carefully & Reply.
 
  With due diligence, I am Dr.David B. Powell , and I work with the Ministry of Mines & Energy Benin. I decided to reach you personally via this medium, believing you will receive this message after realizing that E-mail has come to stay formally as an acceptable medium of communication.
 
I want to introduce myself and this business opportunity to you. I am a Director General (D.G) and head of Contract Approval Committee, with the above Ministry. I wish to know, if we can work together? I would like to use my position in the office to recommend you as the business partner to a deceased contractor (name with held) who died a month after the completion of his contract project with our organization (a World Bank Project) without any registered business partner in his file. The deceased contractor has unpaid contract sum Worth Millions of US dollars for supply and installation of Industrial Equipments in our Ministry.
 
If you are interested, please let me have your private telephone number and full names to enable me give you comprehensive details and also insert your name as the beneficiary of the contract sum for payment. I look forward to your quick response.
 
Note; the procedure for the release of this payment is a straight process and absolutely  risk free and I can assure you that if I can have your total co-operation, this fund will be paid to you within seven working days.
 
Regards,
Dr.David B. Powell
 

Anti-fraud resources: