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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: "Federal Reserve System, USA." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <message@fastwebmail.it>
Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2012 23:46:04 +0100
Subject: Notification of your Unclaimed Payment Fund.

Federal Reserve System USA
20th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, Dc 20551.
Docket No. R-1300
      
     
ATTN: Sir OR Madam,
                   
We are humbly using this medium to inform you that your payment of $10.5 Million USD recovered from the Government of NIGERIA as an unclaimed payment fund belonging to you has been approved and ready to be released to you as soon as possible. We have mandated Private banking department of UBA Bank Nigeria Plc, to release this fund to you immediately. You are advice to contact MR. CHIDI OKPALA of UBA Bank Nigeria Plc via his E-mail Message@fastwebmail.it  and send him your Payment Code#:NGAPMT3911/12; which will empower him to release the $10.5 Million USD to you immediately.
    
Thanks for adhearing to this instruction! Please accept our congratulations!
 
Cordially,
         
Ms. Jennifer J. Johnson
Secretary, Board of Governors
Federal Reserve System, USA.

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